Davis S, Markowska A L, Wenk G L, Barnes C A
Arizona Research Laboratories, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724.
Neurobiol Aging. 1993 Jan-Feb;14(1):107-15. doi: 10.1016/0197-4580(93)90030-f.
Aged rats were chronically administered acetyl-L-carnitine (AC) for 10 months. During this period they were tested on learning and sensorimotor tasks and were then subsequently tested electrophysiologically to assess induction and decay rates of long-term synaptic enhancement (LTE) in the hippocampus. Four groups were tested: young controls (4 mo-con), middle-aged controls (16 mo-con), old controls (24 mo-con), and old AC-treated rats (24 mo-AC). After completion of electrophysiological testing, each rat was sacrificed and investigated for age- or drug-related changes in three neurotransmitter markers; including, NMDA-sensitive glutamate receptors, high affinity choline uptake, and adenosine receptor number in the neocortex, hippocampus or caudate nucleus. Aging impaired spatial learning and there was a robust positive correlation between NMDA receptors in the hippocampus and acquisition of the spatial learning task. Induction of hippocampal LTE was reduced in 24 mo-AC rats and NMDA receptor number and high-affinity choline uptake in the frontal cortex was increased. Several suggestions are offered to explain the action of AC on these neurobiological parameters in old rats.
对老年大鼠长期给予乙酰 - L - 肉碱（AC）10个月。在此期间，对它们进行学习和感觉运动任务测试，随后进行电生理测试，以评估海马体中长期突触增强（LTE）的诱导和衰减率。测试了四组：年轻对照组（4个月龄对照组）、中年对照组（16个月龄对照组）、老年对照组（24个月龄对照组）和老年AC处理组大鼠（24个月龄AC组）。电生理测试完成后，处死每只大鼠，并研究其在三种神经递质标志物方面与年龄或药物相关的变化；包括新皮层、海马体或尾状核中对NMDA敏感的谷氨酸受体、高亲和力胆碱摄取和腺苷受体数量。衰老损害了空间学习能力，海马体中的NMDA受体与空间学习任务的习得之间存在强烈的正相关。24个月龄AC组大鼠海马体LTE的诱导减少，额叶皮质中NMDA受体数量和高亲和力胆碱摄取增加。本文提出了一些建议来解释AC对老年大鼠这些神经生物学参数的作用。
