Metabolic Response to Tacrine (THA) and Physostigmine in the Aged Rat Brain

The effects of the centrally acting anticholinesterases tacrine (tetrahydroaminoacridine, THA) and physostigmine (PHY), on local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) have been studied in 27-month-old rats, using the autoradiographic [14C]deoxyglucose technique. THA (10 mg/kg i.p.) increased LCGU sign...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism 1995-11, Vol.15 (6), p.1093-1102
Main Authors: Bassant, M. H., Jazat-Poindessous, F., Lamour, Y.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging - metabolism
Animals
Autoradiography
Biological and medical sciences
Brain - drug effects
Brain - metabolism
Carbon Radioisotopes
Cholinergic system
Cholinesterase Inhibitors - pharmacology
Deoxyglucose - metabolism
Glucose - metabolism
Male
Medical sciences
Neuropharmacology
Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmission. Receptors
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Physostigmine - pharmacology
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Tacrine - pharmacology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The effects of the centrally acting anticholinesterases tacrine (tetrahydroaminoacridine, THA) and physostigmine (PHY), on local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) have been studied in 27-month-old rats, using the autoradiographic [14C]deoxyglucose technique. THA (10 mg/kg i.p.) increased LCGU significantly in 13 of the 54 regions studied (24%) including insular, parietal, temporal, and retrosplenial cortices, septohippocampal system, thalamus, lateral habenula, and superior colliculus. In these regions, the average THA-induced increase in LCGU was 24% above control. The whole brain mean LCGU was not significantly increased. PHY (0.5 mg/kg) increased LCGU in 18% of the regions (average elevation, 23%). The whole brain mean LCGU increased by 7% (p < 0.05). The regional distributions of THA- and PHY-induced increases in LCGU were extremely similar and overlapped the distribution of the M2 muscarinic receptors and that of acetylcholinesterase activity, suggesting that the major effects of THA and PHY on LCGU result from their anticholinesterase action. As compared to those of 3-month-old rats, both the number of regions affected and the amplitude of the metabolic activation were significantly less in aged rats. However, the drugs were still active in old rats and compensated for the age-related hypometabolism in some brain areas.
ISSN:0271-678X
1559-7016
DOI:10.1038/jcbfm.1995.136