N-METHYL-D-ASPARTATE NEUROTOXICITY IN HIPPOCAMPAL SLICES - PROTECTIONBY ANIRACETAM

Aniracetam, a drug known to elicit cognition enhancing properties in b oth animals and humans, was found to counteract the neurotoxicity indu ced by excitatory amino acids in primary cultures of cerebellar neuron s. We report here that aniracetam prevents the neurotoxic effect induc ed by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) in rat hippocampal slices. Time-cour se experiments showed that the aniracetam-induced neuroprotection does not require preincubation of the slices with the drug. Maximal effect ive concentration of aniracetam was 10 mu M. Since the NMDA-mediated c ell death in hippocampal slices is considered a valuable experimental model of ischemia, these results suggest a possible novel therapeutic application for aniracetam.