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Treatment with Actovegin improves spatial learning and memory in rats following transient forebrain ischaemia
Author(s) -
Meilin Sigal,
Machicao Fausto,
Elmlinger Martin
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/jcmm.12297
Subject(s) - transient (computer programming) , forebrain , ischemia , spatial learning , medicine , neuroscience , cardiology , psychology , computer science , hippocampus , central nervous system , operating system
This study aimed to investigate whether Actovegin, which is a deproteinized ultrafiltrate derived from calf blood, demonstrates neuroprotective effects in a rat model of transient global cerebral ischaemia. Forty Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to four‐vessel occlusion to induce transient global cerebral ischaemia followed by either saline or Actovegin treatment. Sham operations were performed on 15 rats. Actovegin (200 mg/kg) or saline was administered 6 hrs after carotid artery occlusion and then daily until Day 40. Learning and memory were evaluated using the Morris water maze test over two different 5‐day periods, and grip strength testing was also performed to control for potential motor impairments. Rat brains were harvested for histological analysis on Day 68. In comparison to controls, Actovegin‐treated rats exhibited a decreased latency to reach the hidden platform on the second learning trial of water maze testing (46.82 ± 6.18 versus 27.64 ± 4.53 sec., P  < 0.05; 38.3 ± 8.23 versus 13.37 ± 2.73 sec., P  < 0.01 for the first and second 5‐day testing periods, respectively). In addition, Actovegin‐treated rats spent more time in the platform quadrant than saline‐treated rats during memory trials ( P  < 0.05). No differences in grip strength were detected. Histological analyses demonstrated increased cell survival in the CA 1 region of the hippocampus following Actovegin treatment (left hemisphere, 166 ± 50 versus 332 ± 27 cells, P  < 0.05; right hemisphere, 170 ± 45 versus 307 ± 28 cells, P  < 0.05, in saline‐ versus Actovegin‐treated rats, respectively). In rats, Actovegin treatment improves spatial learning and memory following cerebral ischaemia, which may be related to hippocampal CA 1 neuroprotection.

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