Abstract
Deficits of cognitive functions are perceived as an important pathogenic factor of
many neurological and psychiatric diseases. Such symptoms can be a result of a disease
process or appear due to applied medication. Epilepsy is a disease in which cognitive
deficits can occur before first seizures, during seizures and remissions. Valproic
acid (VAL, CAS 77372-61-3) is a medicine applied in order to control epileptic seizures
and mood stabilizing in bipolar disorders and mania. Its activity is related to the
effect on neurotransmission of many systems.
The present study was conducted to investigate whether enriched environment (EE) conditions
affect learning and memory, and influence the antidepressant effect in rats.
VAL improves spatial memory upon repeated administration both in the rats housed in
standard conditions (SC) (after 21 days of treatment) and those housed in enriched
environment (as early as after 14 days of treatment). VAL has an antidepressant effect
on the forced swimming test both in the rats housed in standard conditions and those
housed in EE. In rats housed in EE, the antidepressant effect occurred much earlier
(as early as after 7 days of VAL administration). It is worth noting that VAL has
a low profile of adverse effects (Activity Meter, chimney test). The correlations
observed may be translated into clinical effects, leading to new, more effective VAL
therapies in depression or memory disorders in patients with underlying epilepsy.
Key words
Antiepileptic drugs - CAS 77372-61-3 - Enriched environment - Spatial memory - Valproic
acid, antidepressant effect
