Donepezil restores GH secretion in old rats without affecting the sleep/wake cycle

Neurobiol Aging. 2006 May;27(5):784.e1-784.e5. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2005.07.011. Epub 2005 Sep 30.

Abstract

A chronic treatment with a cholinesterase inhibitor, donepezil (0.085 mg/kg/h for 30 days) increases significantly the number and amplitude of growth hormone (GH) pulses in 3- and 24-month-old rats without modifying nadir GH values. This treatment does not reduce age-related alterations in sleep/wake cycle but it increases immobility-related high-voltage spindles (HVS) in old animals. These data suggest that cholinergic mechanisms involved in age-related alterations in GH and sleep regulation are different.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / blood
  • Acetylcholinesterase / metabolism
  • Aging / metabolism*
  • Animals
  • Arousal / drug effects
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Donepezil
  • Electroencephalography / drug effects
  • Growth Hormone / blood
  • Growth Hormone / metabolism*
  • Indans / administration & dosage
  • Indans / pharmacology*
  • Infusion Pumps, Implantable
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / metabolism
  • Male
  • Nootropic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Piperidines / administration & dosage
  • Piperidines / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Sleep / drug effects*
  • Sleep, REM / drug effects
  • Wakefulness / drug effects*

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Indans
  • Nootropic Agents
  • Piperidines
  • Insulin-Like Growth Factor I
  • Donepezil
  • Growth Hormone
  • Acetylcholinesterase