Effects of betahistine on locomotor activity and passive avoidance behavior in rats

Abstract

Brain histaminergic and cholinergic systems are involved in the neuromodulation of cognitive functions and altered in some neuropsychiatric disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. In this study we have investigated the effects of betahistine dihydrochloride (BH) on locomotor activity (LA) and passive avoidance behavior (PAB) in control and scopolamine(SC)-treated male rats. In an open-field paradigm, BH increased LA at high doses and inhibited SC-induced hyperactivity at moderate ones, without effect on motor habituation. In an electronic maze paradigm, in which animals had to learn to avoid a 1.5 mA electric shock, BH reduced the number of trials required by SC-treated animals to learn to stay in a neutral platform during two consecutive trials. These results seem to indicate that BH influences basal and SC-induced locomotor activity, and attenuates the learning impairment caused by SC.