Neuroprotective effects of vinpocetine, as a phosphodiesterase 1 inhibitor, on long-term potentiation in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease

BackgroundVinpocetine (Vin) is known as a phosphodiesterase 1 inhibitor (PDE1-I) drug with multilateral effects, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. In this research, we investigated the neuroprotective and therapeutic effects of Vin through hippocampal synaptic plasticity on a rat's model of Alzheimer's disease (AD) induced by an intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of beta-amyloid (A beta).MethodsSixty adult male Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups: 1. control, 2. sham, 3. A beta, 4. pretreatment (Vin + A beta): Vin (4 mg/kg, gavage) for 30 days and then, inducing an AD model by an ICV injection of A beta(1-42), 5. treatment (A beta + Vin): inducing an AD model and then receiving Vin for 30 days by gavage, and 7. pretreatment + treatment (Vin + A beta + Vin): receiving Vin by gavage for 30 days before and 30 days after the induction of an AD model. After these procedures, via stereotaxic surgery, the stimulating electrodes were placed at the perforant pathway (PP) and the recording electrodes were implanted in the dentate gyrus.ResultsExcitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) slope and population spike (PS) amplitude in the A beta group meaningfully diminished compared to the control group after the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP).ConclusionsVin could significantly prevent the A beta effects on LTP. It can be concluded that pretreatment and treatment with Vin can be neuroprotective against harmful consequences of A beta on hippocampal synaptic plasticity.

Automated summary

This study investigated the neuroprotective and therapeutic effects of Vinpocetine on hippocampal synaptic plasticity in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease induced by beta-amyloid. The results showed that Vinpocetine can significantly prevent the effects of beta-amyloid on long-term potentiation, indicating its neuroprotective role in hippocampal synaptic plasticity.