NEFIRACETAM ENHANCES ACETYLCHOLINE OUTFLOW FROM THE FRONTAL-CORTEX - IN-VIVO MICRODIALYSIS STUDY IN THE RAT

The effects of nefiracetam [DM-9384; N-(2, imethylphenyl)-2-(2-oxo-1-p yrrolidinyl)acetamide], a cognitive enhancer, on extracellular acetylc holine and glutamic acid in the frontal cortex were studied using brai n microdialysis in freely moving rats. Nefiracetam administration (1 m g/kg, p.o.) doubled the amount of acetylcholine in the dialysate. When tetrodotoxin was added to the perfusion solution, the basal level of acetylcholine decreased and nefiracetam caused no increase in acetylch oline outflow. The amount of glutamic acid in the dialysates was not a ffected by nefiracetam. These results suggest that nefiracetam increas es the amount of acetylcholine within the cholinergic synaptic clefts.