Donepezil plus estradiol treatment enhances learning and delay-dependent memory performance by young ovariectomized rats with partial loss of septal cholinergic neurons.

ABSTRACT: Effects of estrogen therapy on cognitive performance appear to diminish with age and time following the loss of ovarian function. We hypothesize that this is due to a reduction in basal forebrain cholinergic function and that treatment with a cholinergic enhancer can reverse the effect. This study tested whether combining the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil with estradiol treatment can enhance/restore estradiol effects on cognitive performance in young ovariectomized rats with selective lesions of septal cholinergic neurons. 192IgG-saporin was injected directly into the medial septum to produce selective cholinergic lesions. Rats were then treated with donepezil (Don, daily injections of 3mg/kg/day, i.p.) or vehicle, and then with 17β-estradiol (E2, administered by silastic capsule impl

SUBMITTER: Gibbs RB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3081392 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature