Bouger PCM, van der Staay FJ. Rats with scopolamine- or MK-801-induced spatial discrimination deficits in the cone field task: animal models for impaired spatial orientation performance.
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2005;
15:331-46. [PMID:
15820423 DOI:
10.1016/j.euroneuro.2004.11.006]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2004] [Revised: 11/11/2004] [Accepted: 11/25/2004] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Spatial cognition appears to be compromised in elderly and in patients suffering from dementia. These deficits are believed to be modelled, at least partly, by the administration of scopolamine or MK-801 in normal adult animals. In order to establish an animal model suited for the evaluation of putative cognition enhancers, we assessed the effects of scopolamine (0.3, 0.5, 0.7 mg kg(-1), i.p.) and MK-801 (0.07, 0.08, 0.09 mg kg(-1), s.c.) in rats trained in the cone field. This task allows the simultaneous investigation of working memory (WM), reference memory (RM) and search strategies. Scopolamine and MK-801 reliably induced spatial cognition deficits in the cone field without inducing behavioural side effects. This task appears to be suited for assessing the effects of putative cognition-enhancing compounds on spatial cognition.
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