Effects of galantamine on social interaction impairments in cholecystokinin receptor-2 overexpression mice

We examined whether galantamine (GAL), a cholinesterase inhibitor and allosteric potentiating ligand for alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), had an impact on emotional abnormalities in forebrain-specific cholecystokinin receptor-2 overexpressed transgenic mice. Treatment with GAL (1 mg/kg, s.c.) attenuated the decrease of social interaction time, but failed to attenuate anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus-maze test. The effect of GAL was blocked by an alpha 7 nAChR antagonist, methyllycaconitine (3 mg/kg, i.p.). These results suggest that GAL improved social interaction impairments via alpha 7 nAChR and could be useful to treat sociability-related emotional abnormalities. (C) 2022 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Japanese Pharmacological Society.

Automated summary

In this study, the researchers found that galantamine improved social interaction impairments, but failed to attenuate anxiety-like behavior. This effect was mediated by alpha 7 nAChR and blocked by an alpha 7 nAChR antagonist, methyllycaconitine.