Tetrahydroaminoacridine, a cholinesterase inhibitor, and D-cycloserine, a partial NMDA receptor-associated glycine site agonist, enhances acquisition of spatial navigation.

Abstract

The present study examines the efficacy of single and combined treatments with an antiocholinesterase, tetrahydroaminoacridine (THA, i.p.), and a glycine-B site partial agonist, D-cycloserine (DCS, i.p.) to alleviate water maze (WM) spatial navigation defect induced by medial septal (MS) lesion. THA 3 and DCS at 3 or 10 mg/kg improved acquisition of the WM test, but only DCS improved spatial bias. These drugs had no effect on consolidation. A combination of THA 3 and DCS 10 mg/kg enhanced WM acquisition more effectively than either of the treatments on their own. This suggests that combined modulation of acetylcholine and NMDA mechanisms may have greater therapeutic effect to stimulate cognitive dysfunctions.