Document Detail


The effects of nerve growth factor on spatial recent memory in aged rats persist after discontinuation of treatment.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  9065514     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Nerve growth factor (NGF) infusion significantly reduces spatial recent memory deficits in aged rats, an effect that has great relevance to the treatment of memory impairments characteristic of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The present study was designed to examine whether this NGF-induced improvement in spatial recent memory persists after the discontinuation of NGF treatment, an issue of crucial importance for the potential clinical use of this compound. Spatial recent memory was tested in a Morris water maze delayed nonmatch-to-position task. In addition to memory, sensorimotor skills were also examined. Four- and 22-month-old rats were tested preoperatively, infused intraventricularly with recombinant human NGF or vehicle, and tested both during the 4 week infusion period and during the 4 weeks after discontinuation of the infusion. NGF significantly improved spatial recent memory in 22-month-old rats only, during the 4th week of infusion and for up to 4 weeks after discontinuation of the infusion. Although NGF did not affect overall sensorimotor skills during infusion in either age group, sensorimotor skills were significantly improved both 2 and 4 weeks after discontinuation of infusion in 22-month-old rats. These findings demonstrate that the beneficial effects of NGF on spatial recent memory can persist for up to 1 month after discontinuation of infusion and suggest that NGF can be used intermittently for the treatment of age-associated memory dysfunction and Alzheimer's disease.
Authors:
K M Frick; D L Price; V E Koliatsos; A L Markowska
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience     Volume:  17     ISSN:  0270-6474     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Neurosci.     Publication Date:  1997 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1999-02-25     Completed Date:  1999-02-25     Revised Date:  2007-11-14    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8102140     Medline TA:  J Neurosci     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  2543-50     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Aging / physiology*
Animals
Body Weight
Choice Behavior
Escape Reaction
Humans
Male
Maze Learning / drug effects,  physiology*
Nerve Growth Factors / pharmacology*
Orientation
Psychomotor Performance / drug effects,  physiology
Rats
Rats, Inbred F344
Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology
Time Factors
Grant Support
ID/Acronym/Agency:
NS 10580/NS/NINDS NIH HHS
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Nerve Growth Factors; 0/Recombinant Proteins

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


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