Document Detail


Acetyl-L-carnitine improves aged brain function.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20590847     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The effects of acetyl-L-carnitine (ALCAR), an acetyl derivative of L-carnitine, on memory and learning capacity and on brain synaptic functions of aged rats were examined. Male Fischer 344 rats were given ALCAR (100 mg/kg bodyweight) per os for 3 months and were subjected to the Hebb-Williams tasks and AKON-1 task to assess their learning capacity. Cholinergic activities were determined with synaptosomes isolated from brain cortices of the rats. Choline parameters, the high-affinity choline uptake, acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis and depolarization-evoked ACh release were all enhanced in the ALCAR group. An increment of depolarization-induced calcium ion influx into synaptosomes was also evident in rats given ALCAR. Electrophysiological studies using hippocampus slices indicated that the excitatory postsynaptic potential slope and population spike size were both increased in ALCAR-treated rats. These results indicate that ALCAR increases synaptic neurotransmission in the brain and consequently improves learning capacity in aging rats.
Authors:
Satoru Kobayashi; Machiko Iwamoto; Kazuo Kon; Hatsue Waki; Susumu Ando; Yasukazu Tanaka
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Geriatrics & gerontology international     Volume:  10 Suppl 1     ISSN:  1447-0594     ISO Abbreviation:  Geriatr Gerontol Int     Publication Date:  2010 Jul 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-07-01     Completed Date:  2010-10-21     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  101135738     Medline TA:  Geriatr Gerontol Int     Country:  Japan    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  S99-106     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for Research on Aging and Promotion, Sakaecho, Itabashiku, Tokyo, Japan.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Acetylcarnitine / pharmacology*
Aging / physiology
Animals
Brain / drug effects*
Carnitine / analysis
Hippocampus / chemistry,  metabolism
Learning / drug effects
Male
Maze Learning
Memory / drug effects
Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
Myocardium / chemistry
Rats
Rats, Inbred F344
Synaptic Transmission / drug effects
Synaptosomes / chemistry
Vitamin B Complex / pharmacology*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
12001-76-2/Vitamin B Complex; 14992-62-2/Acetylcarnitine; 541-15-1/Carnitine

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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