Prolonged treatment with alpha-glycerylphosphoryl-ethanolamine facilitatesthe acquisition of an active avoidance behavior and selectively increases neuronal signal transduction in rats

The effects of alpha-glycerylphosphorylethanolamine on both behavioral and neurochemical parameters were studied in adult rats. Daily administration o f the drug caused a significant improvement in the behavioral performance o f rats in the active avoidance conditioning test. This effect was observed after about ten days of treatment, and lasted until the end of the experime nt (fifteen days). The improvement in this memory-related behavioral test c orrelated with a facilitation of both muscarinic and beta-adrenergic stimul ation of brain adenylyl cyclase activity. Conversely, no changes were obser ved in basal or forskolin-induced stimulation of cAMP production, suggestin g that the alpha-glycerylphosphorylethanolamine effects were not directed o n the enzyme itself, but might favor the coupling between receptors, G prot eins and effectors. Similar results were observed on the muscarinic stimula tion of inositol phosphate accumulation although, in this case, a potentiat ion of the basal activity also occurred. In conclusion, our data indicate t hat daily treatment with alpha-glycerylphosphorylethanolamine improves the learning and memory processes in the rat, evaluated using the active avoida nce conditioning test. Furthermore, the subchronic administration of this c ompound is able to enhance receptor-mediated neuronal signal transduction, namely cAMP and inositol phosphate production. These neurochemical modifica tions may represent, at least in part, the molecular mechanisms of action o f the drug. (Aging Clin. Exp. Res. 11: 335-342, 1999) (C)1999, Editrice Kur tis.