TETRAHYDROAMINOACRIDINE, A CHOLINESTERASE INHIBITOR, AND D-CYCLOSERINE, A PARTIAL NMDA RECEPTOR-ASSOCIATED GLYCINE SITE AGONIST, ENHANCES ACQUISITION OF SPATIAL NAVIGATION

THE present study examines the efficacy of single and combined treatme nts with an antiocholinesterase, tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA, i.p.), and a glycine-B site partial agonist, D-cycloserine (DCS, i.p.) to all eviate water maze (WM) spatial navigation defect induced by medial sep tal (MS) lesion. THA 3 and DCS at 3 or 10 mg/kg improved acquisition o f the WM test, but only DCS improved spatial bias. These drugs had no effect on consolidation. A combination of THA 3 and DCS 10 mg/kg enhan ced WM acquisition more effectively than either of the treatments on t heir own. This suggests that combined modulation of acetylcholine and NMDA mechanisms may have greater therapeutic effect to stimulate cogni tive dysfunctions. (C) 1998 Rapid Science Ltd.