The effects of phosphatidylserine (PS) were studied in rats treated with re
serpine (1 mg/kg) immediately after training in the passive avoidance task.
In experiment I, phosphatidylserine (25 mg/kg) was administered 30 min bef
ore or immediately after training. Acute pre- or post-treatment with phosph
atidylserine was effective in reversing the amnestic effect of reserpine in
test trials performed 24 h and 1 week after training. Experiment II was pe
rformed to determine if the long-term pretreatment with phosphatidylserine
(25 mg/kg) for 7 days is able to protect the rats against the amnestic effe
cts of reserpine in this task. The data show that phosphatidylserine revers
es the impairment induced by reserpine in trials performed 74 h and 1 week
after training. These results indicate that the memory deficits associated
with catecholamine depletion caused by reserpine can be attenuated by acute
pre- or post-training or by long-term pretreatment with this phospholipid.
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