Effects of nootropic drugs on brain cholinergic and dopaminergic transmission

Act Nerv Super (Praha). 1987 Mar;29(1):62-5.

Abstract

High affinity choline uptake (HACU) in the hippocampus and striatal concentration of dopamine (DA) and homovanillic acid (HVA) as measures of the in vivo acetylcholine and DA turnover, respectively, were estimated in male rats, Long-Evans, following 6-day administration of various nootropics in clinically relevant doses: piracetam and its derivatives pramiracetam and oxiracetam (100 mg/kg/day), pyritinol (50 mg/kg/day). Piracetam treatment was without effect on HACU, but induced significant increase of HVA in the striatum leaving striatal DA concentration unchanged. On the contrary, pyritinol, pramiracetam and oxiracetam increased HACU, but did not change striatal DA and HVA levels.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / drug effects*
  • Brain / physiology
  • Dopamine / pharmacology*
  • Male
  • Parasympathetic Nervous System / drug effects*
  • Parasympathetic Nervous System / physiology
  • Piracetam / analogs & derivatives
  • Piracetam / pharmacology*
  • Pyridines / pharmacology*
  • Pyrithioxin / pharmacology*
  • Pyrrolidines / pharmacology
  • Pyrrolidinones / pharmacology*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Inbred Strains
  • Synaptic Transmission / drug effects*

Substances

  • Pyridines
  • Pyrrolidines
  • Pyrrolidinones
  • pramiracetam
  • Pyrithioxin
  • oxiracetam
  • Dopamine
  • Piracetam