Effect of aspirin on learning and memory in Alzheimers disease rats and its molecular mechanism / 中国药理学通报

ABSTRACT

AIM To observe the effect of aspirin on a model of Alzheimers disease in rats and its molecular mechanism. METHODS The AD pathological model was made by hippocampal CA 1 lesions with stereotaxic mini-injection of quinolinic acid;the rats learning and memory was observed by Y-maze; the apoptosis of hippocampal cells were detected by using flow cytometry and electronic microscope; the content of calcium in AD rats hippocampus was determined by atomic absortion spectrophotometer. RESULTS Aspirin was shown to improve learning and memory deficiency in rats with bilateral hippocampal lesions induced by quinolinc acid, to decrease apoptosis rate in hippocampal cells significantly and to reduce the concentration of calcium in hippocampus. CONCLUSION The protective effects of aspirin on a model of AD in rats may be involved in antagonism of calcium and inhibition of apoptosis in hippocampal cells induced by quinolinic acid.