Effects of rivastigmine and memantine alone and
in combination on learning and memory in rats
with scopolamine-induced amnesia

• Authors: Peter Georgiev Yanev , Darinka Slavcheva Dimitrova , Damianka Peteva Getova-Spassova
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

Background: Cholinesterase inhibitors and glutamate
blockers are commonly used for the treatment of
cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease. The aim
was to evaluate the effects of rivastigmine and memantine
alone or in combination in rats with scopolamine-impaired
memory. Method: 5 groups of rats were used: control, scopolamine
(model), model with rivastigmine, model with memantine,
and model with both drugs. Active avoidance test was performed
and the number of conditioned responses, unconditioned
responses and intertrial crossing were recorded.
Passive avoidance tests step-through with criteria latency
of reaction 180 s in the light chamber and step-down with
criteria latency of reaction 60 s on the platform were done. Results: Control rats learned the task and kept it on
memory tests. Scopolamine treated rats failed to perform
it. The rivastigmine, memantine and its combination
groups showed increased CRs during learning and
memory retention tests. In both passive avoidance tests
an increased latency of reaction was observed in the drug
treated groups. Conclusion: The combination of both drugs rivastigmine
and memantine is more effective than the use of the single
drug in cognitive impaired rats. Cholinesterase inhibitors
and NMDA blockers may be combined in the treatment of
different kind of dementias.

Keywords

EN

rivastigmine; memantine; drug combination; scopolamine model; rats

• Publisher: De Gruyter Open
• Journal: Open Medicine
• Year: 2014
• Volume: 10
• Issue: 1

Dates

received

1 - 4 - 2015

online

24 - 9 - 2015

accepted

7 - 7 - 2015

Contributors

author

Peter Georgiev Yanev

• College of William and Mary, Williamsburg,
  Virginia 23187, USA

author

Darinka Slavcheva Dimitrova

• Department of Pharmacology and Clinical
  Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University, Plovdiv
  4002, Bulgaria

author

Damianka Peteva Getova-Spassova

• Department of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, Medical University,
  15A V. Aprilov str, Plovdiv 4002, Bulgaria

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Identifiers

DOI

10.1515/med-2015-0050