NOOTROPIC EFFECT OF HYPOCHOLESTEROLEMIC DRUGS IN SCOPOLAMINE INDUCED AMNESIC RATS
Age induced dementia as a result of progressive neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has several causes and increased cholesterol turnover, amyloid deposition and oxygen free radical mediated cell injuries are main ly implicated ones. Hypocholesterolemic drugs along with cholesterol lowering property show many pleiotropic effects and may help in this condition. The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of simvastatin, rosuvastatin, fenofibrate and nicotinic acid on learning and memory in amnesic rats. Scopolamine induced amnesia served as interoceptive memory model whereas, elevated plus-maze, rectangular maze and locomotor activity served as exteroceptive models. The tested hypocholesterolemic drugs significantly attenuated scopolamine induced amnesia in the tested models, reduced acetylcholinesterase levels and the neurodegenerative changes observed at basal ganglia. The improvement in learning and memory may be attributed to their cholesterol dependent and independent actions