SSP-002392, a new 5-HT4 receptor agonist, dose-dependently reverses scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in C57Bl/6 mice.
5-HT4 receptors (5-HT4R) are suggested to affect learning and memory processes. Earlier studies have shown that animals treated with 5-HT4R agonists, often with limited selectivity, show improved learning and memory with retention memory often being assessed immediately after or within 24 h after the last training session. In this study, we characterized the effect of pre-training treatment with the selective 5-HT4R agonist SSP-002392 on memory acquisition and the associated long-term memory retrieval in animal models of impaired cognition. Pre-training treatment with SSP-002392 (0.3 mg/kg, 1.5 mg/kg and 7.5 mg/kg p.o.) dose-dependently inhibited the cognitive deficits induced by scopolamine (0.5 mg/kg s.c.) in two different behavioral tasks: passive avoidance and Morris water maze. In the Morris water maze, spatial learning was significantly improved after treatment with SSP-002392 translating in an accelerated and more efficient localization of the hidden platform compared to scopolamine-treated controls. Moreover, retention memory was assessed 24 h (passive avoidance) and 72 h (Morris water maze) after the last training session of cognitive-impaired animals and this was significantly improved in animals treated with SSP-002392 prior to the training sessions. Furthermore, the effects of SSP-002392 were comparable to galanthamine hydrobromide. We conclude that SSP-002392 has potential as a memory-enhancing compound.
['Lo|Adrian C|AC|', 'De Maeyer|Joris H|JH|', 'Vermaercke|Ben|B|', 'Callaerts-Vegh|Zsuzsanna|Z|', 'Schuurkes|Jan A J|JA|', "D'Hooge|Rudi|R|"]
D000818:Animals D001007:Anxiety D001362:Avoidance Learning D001572:Benzofurans D004195:Disease Models, Animal D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug D005239:Fear D005702:Galantamine D008297:Male D018782:Maze Learning D008569:Memory Disorders D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL D018697:Nootropic Agents D010880:Piperidines D011897:Random Allocation D044422:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT4 D012601:Scopolamine D058828:Serotonin 5-HT4 Receptor Agonists
SSP-002392 Cognition Passive avoidance Morris water maze 5-HT(4) Search strategies