Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist SIB-1508Y improves cognitive functioning in chronic low-dose MPTP-treated monkeys

Monkeys that receive chronic low-dose 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrop yridine (MPTP) administration have difficulty performing numerous cognitive tasks. This study further examines the extent to which chronic low-dose MP TP exposure affects performance of a visual memory task [variable delayed r esponse (VDR)] with both attentional and short-term memory components and a ssesses the effects of the novel neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist SIB-1508Y and levodopa on cognitive task performance. Before MPTP t reatment, these monkeys displayed a delay-dependent decrement in performanc e on the VDR task and performed well on delayed matching-to-sample and visu al pattern discrimination tasks. Chronic low-dose MPTP treatment caused a s hift to a delay-independent pattern of responding on the VDR task, such tha t short-delay trials were performed as poorly as long-delay trials. There w ere also deficits in performing the delayed matching-to-sample task, wherea s visual discrimination performance remained intact. SIB-1508Y normalized t he pattern of response on the Van task by significantly improving performan ce on short-delay trials and on the delayed matching-to-sample task. These effects lasted up to 24 to 48 h after SIB-1508Y administration. Neither lev odopa nor nicotine significantly improved task performance. These results s uggest that chronic low-dose MPTP exposure results in a cognitive disturban ce that can be corrected by the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist SI B-1508Y but not by levodopa. Thus, SIB-1508Y may be useful in the treatment of the cognitive deficits in Parkinson's disease.