• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.346-350
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• 1995

To assess the behavior of the various chemicals, such as ethylcholine axiridinium (AF54A), scopolamine and morphine, the chemicals were administered into eitheer rat or mice. And water maze tests were performed before and during drug administration. In AF64A-treated groups (3 nmol/each ventricle), the latencies to escape was significantly increased in both of the pretraining-and posttraining groups. In scopolamine-treatment (2mg/kg, sc) to the pretrained group, the latency to escape was significantly shortened after the acute administration of scopolamine. However in subscute treatment group with scopolamine, the latency to escape was significantly increased. In morphine-treated groups (10 mg/kg, ip), the subacute treatmment with morphine, the latency to escape was not ahcnged. The results indicate that each chemical induces the learning impariment. However the chrmical-induced learning impairment may have different characteristics upon the exposed chemical. Also the results suggest that both the motivation and the retrieval of memory might be impaired by AF64A.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 1996

Changes in dopaminergic activities were investigated after the intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of ethylcholine aziridium (AF64A) in rats. The levels of dopamine (DA) and metabolites, the activities of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and monoamine oxidase (MAO), and the specific binding sites of dopamine receptros in striata, hippocampus, and frontal cortex were assessed 6 days after the AF64A treatment with 3 nmol/each ventrcle. In frontal cortex, the levels of DA and metabolities were significantly decreased without changes in metabolites/DA ratios in the AF64A-treated groups. In contrast, the ratios of metabolites/DA were significantly decreased in striatum and hippocampus in the AF64A treatment. The activity of TH in frontal cortex was significantly decreased. However, that in other areas was not changed. Also the activity of MAO-A was not changed in the studied brain regions. However, the activity of MAO-B in striatum was significantly increased with no change in other areas. The specific binding sites of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors were increased in AF64A-treated frontal cortex. However, those were not changed in striatum and hippocampus except the small decreased specific binding sites of dopamine D-1 receptors in striatum after AF64A treatment. These results indicate that the dopaminergic activity was altered in AF64A treatment. Furthermore, it suggest that the decreased dopaminergic activities in each brain regions might be differently affected by AF64A treatment.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 1997

Changes in glutamatergic nervous activities following intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of ethylcholine aziridinium (AF64A) were studied in rats. The levels of total glutamate, those of glutamate in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in extracellular fluid (ECF) of striatum, the activities of glutamine synthetase (GS), glutaminase and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and the specific binding sites of $[^3H]$MK801 in striatum, hippocampus and frontal cortex were assessed a week after the infusion of AF64A (3 nmol) into lateral ventricle. The levels of total glutamate were significantly decreased in striatum, hippocampus and frontal cortex after AF64A treatment. Although the levels of glutamate in CSF weren't changed after AF64A treatment, the levels of glutamate in ECF of striatum were significantly decreased (62.6%). GS activities in striatum were significantly decreased. But, glutaminase activities in striatum were significantly increased. However, the activities of GS and glutaminase in frontal cortex and hippocampus weren't changed. Although GDH activities in frontal cortex were significantly decreased, those in striatum and hippocampus weren't altered. The striatal densities of $[^3H]$MK 801 binding sites were increased without changes in its affinity. Also, the specific binding sites of $[^3H]$MK801 were increased in frontal cortex but not in hippocampus. These results indicate that the glutamatergic nervous activities were altered with the infusion of AF64A into lateral ventricle. Furthermore, it suggest that the decreased levels of glutamate after AF64A treatment may affect the change in the other parameters of glutamatergic neuronal activities.