Antagonism by exifone, a new cognitive enhancing agent, of the amnesias induced by four benzodiazepines in mice.

Exifone is a novel compound proposed for treating cognitive decline associated with age and shows corrective effects in animal models of memory dysfunction. The present experiments examined the antagonism by exifone of the amnesias induced in mice in a passive avoidance test by four benzodiazepines: bromazepam, diazepam, lorazepam and triazolam. Subsequent experiments investigated the specificity of exifone's antagonism of benzodiazepine-induced amnesia by examining its interaction with the effects of the benzodiazepines in the staircase test (anxiolytic/sedative activity) and the electroshock test (anticonvulsant activity). The results indicated that exifone clearly antagonised the amnesias induced by the four benzodiazepines, but was without intrinsic effects in the staircase or electroshock test and did not antagonise the effects of the benzodiazepines in these two tests. These results suggest that exifone might be useful for decreasing the amnesias induced by commonly used benzodiazepines without affecting their anxiolytic or anticonvulsant activity.