Vicens Paloma, Heredia Luis, Torrente Margarita, Domingo José L
Department of Psychology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain.
Research Center in Behavioral Assessment (CRAMC), Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain.
Psychogeriatrics. 2017 Jan;17(1):33-42. doi: 10.1111/psyg.12189. Epub 2016 Jan 27.
Cholinergic deficits play an important role in both cognitive and behavioural alterations in Alzheimer's disease. This study was aimed at evaluating the possible therapeutic role of PNU-282987 (PNU), an α7 nicotinic cholinergic receptor agonist, and the possible effects of stress in precipitating the onset of behavioural deficits in animals with susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease.
B6C3-Tg mice with susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease and wild-type mice either with or without restraint stress received 0- or 1-mg/kg PNU. At 12 months old, mice were evaluated for activity levels, anxiety-like levels, and spatial learning and memory.
Data did not show the effects of PNU on activity and anxiety-like behaviour. No effect of PNU on acquisition of a spatial learning task was detected, but a reversal of stress effects on retention in the Morris water maze was observed in transgenic mice.
Further studies are needed in order to better understand the role of α7 nicotinic cholinergic receptor agonists in motor activity, anxiety, and spatial learning and memory and to develop more accurate pharmacological treatment of psychopathological diseases.
胆碱能缺陷在阿尔茨海默病的认知和行为改变中均起重要作用。本研究旨在评估α7烟碱型胆碱能受体激动剂PNU-282987（PNU）可能的治疗作用，以及应激对易患阿尔茨海默病动物行为缺陷发作的可能影响。
对易患阿尔茨海默病的B6C3-Tg小鼠和接受或未接受束缚应激的野生型小鼠给予0或1mg/kg的PNU。在12月龄时，对小鼠的活动水平、焦虑样水平以及空间学习和记忆进行评估。
数据未显示PNU对活动和焦虑样行为的影响。未检测到PNU对空间学习任务获得的影响，但在转基因小鼠中观察到PNU对莫里斯水迷宫中记忆保持的应激效应有逆转作用。
需要进一步研究以更好地理解α7烟碱型胆碱能受体激动剂在运动活动、焦虑以及空间学习和记忆中的作用，并开发更精确的精神病理疾病药物治疗方法。
