EFFECTS OF CYTIDINE-DIPHOSPHOCHOLINE ON ACETYLCHOLINE-MEDIATED BEHAVIORS IN THE RAT

The phosphatidylcholine precursor, cytidine-diphosphocholine (CDP-chol ine), was injected intraperitoneally (IP) at the dose of 10 or 20 mg/k g/day for 20 days to 24-month-old male rats of the Sprague-Dawley stra in that showed cognitive and motor deficits. The drug was also injecte d in animals with behavioral alterations induced pharmacologically wit h a single injection of the cholinergic receptor antagonist, scopolami ne, with prenatal exposure to methylazoxymethanol (MAM rats), or with bilateral injections of kainic acid into the nucleus basalis magnocell ularis (NBM). Learning and memory capacity of the animals, studied wit h tests of active and passive avoidance behavior, was improved after t reatment with CDP-choline in all experimental groups. An improvement i n motor performance and coordination in the rotorod and open field tes ts was also observed in aged rats. These results indicate that this dr ug affects central mechanisms involved in cognitive behaviors, probabl y through a cholinergic action.