The effect of baclofen and AP-7 on selected behavior in rats

GABAB Receptors and Cognitive Processing in Health and Disease

GABA_B receptors are implicated in numerous central nervous system-based behaviours and mechanisms, including cognitive processing in preclinical animal models. Homeostatic changes in the expression and function of these receptors across brain structures have been found to affect cognitive processing. Numerous preclinical studies have focused on the role of GABA_B receptors in learning, memory and cognition per se with some interesting, although sometimes contradictory, findings. The majority of the existing clinical literature focuses on alterations in GABA_B receptor function in conditions and disorders whose main symptomatology includes deficits in cognitive processing. The aim of this chapter is to delineate the role of GABA_B receptors in cognitive processes in health and disease of animal models and human clinical populations. More specifically, this review aims to present literature on the role of GABA_B receptors in animal models with cognitive deficits, especially those of learning and memory. Further, it aims to capture the progress and advances of research studies on the effects of GABA_B receptor compounds in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative conditions with cognitive dysfunctions. The neurodevelopmental conditions covered include autism spectrum disorders, fragile X syndrome and Down's syndrome and the neurodegenerative conditions discussed are Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and autoimmune anti-GABA_B encephalitis. Although some findings are contradictory, results indicate a possible therapeutic role of GABA_B receptor compounds for the treatment of cognitive dysfunction and learning/memory impairments for some of these conditions, especially in neurodegeneration. Moreover, future research efforts should aim to develop selective GABA_B receptor compounds with minimal, if any, side effects.

Effect of Short- and Long-Term Administration of Baclofen on Spatial Learning and Memory in Rats

Baclofen is the only clinically available metabotropic GABAB receptor agonist. In our experiment, we tested the hypothesis that long-term baclofen administration can impair learning and memory in rats. The experiment consisted of three parts. In the first part of the study the drug was administered simultaneously with the beginning of the behavioral tests. In the second and third part of the experiment baclofen was administered daily for 14 days and for one month before the tests. In each part of the experiment, adult rats were randomly divided into four treatment groups. Three groups were given an injection of baclofen at doses of 1 mg/kg, 5 mg/kg, 10 mg/kg, while the fourth group was injected with saline. The injections were given after each session. Spatial learning and memory were tested using the Morris water maze, involving three types of tests: Acquisition, Probe, and Re-acquisition. This work reveals that baclofen did not affect spatial learning at any of the tested doses and regardless of the length of administration. Memory was observed to be affected, but only at the highest dose of baclofen and only temporarily. This conclusion is in line with previously published clinical cases.

Role of GABA(B) receptors in learning and memory and neurological disorders

Although it is evident from the literature that altered GABAB receptor function does affect behavior, these results often do not correspond well. These differences could be due to the task protocol, animal strain, ligand concentration, or timing of administration utilized. Because several clinical populations exhibit learning and memory deficits in addition to altered markers of GABA and the GABAB receptor, it is important to determine whether altered GABAB receptor function is capable of contributing to the deficits. The aim of this review is to examine the effect of altered GABAB receptor function on synaptic plasticity as demonstrated by in vitro data, as well as the effects on performance in learning and memory tasks. Finally, data regarding altered GABA and GABAB receptor markers within clinical populations will be reviewed. Together, the data agree that proper functioning of GABAB receptors is crucial for numerous learning and memory tasks and that targeting this system via pharmaceuticals may benefit several clinical populations.

Effects of CA1 glutamatergic systems upon memory impairments in cholestatic rats

BACKGROUND

Bile duct ligation (BDL) is shown to induce cholestasis-related liver function impairments as well as consequent cognitive dysfunctions (i.e. impaired learning and memory formation). Glutamatergic neurotransmission plays an important role in hippocampal modulation of learning and memory function. The present study aimed to investigate the possible involvement of dorsal hippocampal (CA1) glutamatergic systems upon cholestasis-induced amnesia.

METHOD

Cholestasis was induced in male Wistar rats through double-ligation of the main bile duct (at two points) and transection of the interposed segment. Step-through passive avoidance test was employed to examine rats' learning and memory function. All drugs were injected into CA1 region of the hippocampus.

RESULTS

our results indicated a decrease in memory retrieval following cholestasis (11, 17 and 24 days post BDL). Only subthreshold doses of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA; 0.125 and 0.25 μg/μl) but not its effective dose (0.5 μg/μl), restored the cholestasis-induced amnesia in step-through passive avoidance test, 11, 17 and 24 days post BDL. This effect was blocked by the subthreshold dose of D-[1]-2-amino-7-phosphonoheptanoic acid (D-AP7, NMDA receptor antagonist; 0.0625 μg/μl, intra-CA1) at 0.125 μg/μl and 0.25 μg/μl doses of NMDA. Moreover, our data revealed that only effective doses of D-AP7 (0.125 and 0.25 μg/μl, intra-CA1) potentiate memory impairments in 11 days after BDL. It was noted that none of applied drugs/doses exerted an effect on memory acquisition and locomotors activity, 10 and 12 days post laparotomy, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest the potential involvement of CA1 glutamatergic system(s) in cholestasis-induced memory deficits.

Baclofen administration alters fear extinction and GABAergic protein levels

The investigation of GABAergic systems in learning and extinction has principally focused on ionotropic GABA(A) receptors. Less well characterized is the metabotropic GABA(B) receptor, which when activated, induces a more sustained inhibitory effect and has been implicated in regulating oscillatory activity. Few studies have been carried out utilizing GABA(B) ligands in learning, and investigations of GABA(B) in extinction have primarily focused on interactions with drugs of abuse. The current study examined changes in GABA(B) receptor function using the GABA(B) agonist baclofen (2 mg/mL) or the GABA(B) antagonist phaclofen (0.3 mg/mL) on trace cued and contextual fear conditioning and extinction. The compounds were either administered during training and throughout extinction in Experiment 1, or starting 24 h after training and throughout extinction in Experiment 2. All drugs were administered 1 mL/kg via intraperitoneal injection. These studies demonstrated that the administration of baclofen during training and extinction trials impaired animals' ability to extinguish the fear association to the CS, whereas the animals that were administered baclofen starting 24 h after training (Experiment 2) did display some extinction. Further, contextual fear extinction was impaired by baclofen in both experiments. Tissue analyses suggest the cued fear extinction deficit may be related to changes in the GABA(B2) receptor subunit in the amygdala. The data in the present investigation demonstrate that GABA(B) receptors play an important role in trace cued and contextual fear extinction, and may function differently than GABA(A) receptors in learning, memory, and extinction.

Baclofen alters flash-evoked potentials in Long–Evans rats

This experiment examined the effects of the GABA-B agonist baclofen on flash-evoked potentials (FEPs) recorded from both the visual cortex (VC) and superior colliculus (SC) of chronically implanted male Long-Evans rats. FEPs were recorded at 5, 25, 45, and 65 min following intraperitoneal injections of saline, and of 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 mg/kg baclofen on separate days. In the VC, the amplitude of components P(23), P(37), N(55), N(150), and P(242) increased, while the amplitude of components N(31) and P(48) decreased following baclofen administration. P(88) was unchanged. In the SC, components P(28), N(49), N(55), and N(59) were reduced in amplitude, while P(39) was unaffected by baclofen. These effects on amplitudes were dose- and time-dependent. Many peak latencies in the VC and SC were altered by baclofen, although there was no obvious pattern of change, with some decreasing, a few increasing, and others unchanged. Body temperature was recorded in a separate group of animals, with both the 5.0 and 10.0 mg/kg doses of baclofen producing significant hypothermia. The 10.0 mg/kg dose of baclofen resulted in a significant decrease in movement during the recording sessions, but not in subsequent open field observations. The results show the involvement of GABA-B receptors in the production/modulation of the various components of FEPs.

Baclofen prevents hypoxia-induced consolidation impairment for passive avoidance in rats

We investigated the effects of baclofen, a selective GABA-B receptor agonist, on certain behaviours in rats after short-term hypoxia, as a model of experimentally induced amnesia. Baclofen given intraperitoneally (i.p.) in a dose of 0.25 mg kg(-1) increased the number of crossings and bar approaches in the open field, but was ineffective in the passive avoidance tests; it also shortened the time spent in open arms and reduced the number of open arms entries in an elevated 'plus' maze, being a measure of anxiety. Hypoxia (2% O2, 98% N2) within 4 min profoundly impaired locomotor activity, consolidation and retrieval of conditioned responses, and exhibited a proaxiogenic effect in the elevated 'plus' maze in rats--it reduced the time spent in open arms and the number of entries to closed and open arms. Baclofen's effect on locomotor and exploratory activity was substantially impaired after hypoxia, i.e. rats exhibited a significant reduction in those activities. This agonist of GABA-B receptor used before hypoxia significantly improved consolidation, but had no effect on retrieval. In the elevated 'plus' maze rats pre-treated with baclofen and then subjected to hypoxia prolonged the time spent in open arms, reduced the time spent in closed arms, and increased the number of entries to the arms, i.e. exhibited anxiolytic effect. We conclude, therefore, that baclofen improved consolidation of passive avoidance in rats undergoing hypoxia.

Behavioral effects of GABA(A) receptor stimulation and GABA-transporter inhibition

The present analysis addressed behavioral changes after treatment with 4.5 mg/kg or 18.5 mg/kg of the GABA-uptake inhibitor tiagabine combined with either the benzodiazepine diazepam (1.5 mg/kg) or the imidazopyridine zolpidem (0.05 mg/kg), the latter two acting differentially on GABA(A) receptor subtypes. The study included 97 male PVG/OIaHsd rats. A standard open field, an enriched open field, and an elevated plus-maze was used to study rat behavior. Treatment with the low dose of tiagabine alone induced no specific behavioral effects, whereas the high dose had an anxiolytic-like potential. Furthermore, diazepam but not zolpidem displayed anxiolytic-like effects. Combination of each benzodiazepine receptor agonist with tiagabine at the low dose decreased explorative activity. Diazepam plus the high dose of tiagabine increased the activity in the open-field test. Zolpidem together with 18.5 mg/kg tiagabine had an angiogenic-like effect compared to pure tiagabine treatment. These results provide evidence for a pharmacodynamic interaction between the GABA-uptake inhibitor tiagabine and diazepam or zolpidem. The interaction might be relevant in the clinic when combining the anticonvulsant tiagabine and a benzodiazepine receptor agonist.