Abstract

Research Article

The Effect of Variable Doses of Imipramine and Amitriptyline on Learning and Memory

Asuquo JO, Oyama SE and Seriki A Samuel*

Published: 14 May, 2024 | Volume 8 - Issue 1 | Pages: 047-055

This study compares the effect of imipramine and amitriptyline on learning and memory. Thirty-five (35) healthy Swiss white (CD1) mice of both sexes weighing 18 g - 30 g were randomly divided into 5 groups (n = 7). Mice in group 1 (control) were administered 0.9% normal saline orally, while mice in groups 2 and 3 were treated with low (1.8 mg/kg) and high (3.7 mg/kg) doses of imipramine, groups 4 and 5 were treated with low (1.8 mg/kg) and high (3.7 mg/kg) of amitriptyline respectively. Treatment was for 21 days before tests. All animals were tested using the Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Novel Object Recognition Task (NORT) to assess visuospatial learning and memory as well as cognitive learning and memory. The results obtained from the Morris Water Maze during the acquisition training showed that the swim latencies were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the amitriptyline low-dose group compared to the control group. During the reversal training, the swim latencies were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the test groups compared to the control group. The result for the retention quadrant in the probe trials showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in the northeast quadrant in the test groups compared to the control group, with no significant difference in the visible platform day of the Morris Water Maze in the test groups compared to the control group. In the novel object recognition task, the short-term index of habituation was significantly lower (p < 0.05) in the low-dose imipramine and low-dose amitriptyline compared to the control group, the results also showed a significant increase (p < 0.05) in amitriptyline high dose group compared to imipramine and amitriptyline low dose group and the control group. The index of discrimination showed no significant difference among all groups. The long-term index of habituation and discrimination in the memory test showed a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in all the test groups compared to the control group. The results suggest that imipramine and amitriptyline impaired cognitive memory and enhanced visuospatial learning and memory functions.

Read Full Article HTML DOI: 10.29328/journal.apps.1001056 Cite this Article Read Full Article PDF

Keywords:

Cognitive memory; Visuospatial learning; Index of discrimination; Amitriptyline; Imipramine; Morris Water Maze (MWM); Novel Object Recognition Task (NORT)

References

  1. Osim EE. Neurophysiology. 3rd ed. Calabar: University of Calabar Printing Press. 2008; 99.
  2. Atkinson RC, Shiffrin RM. Human Memory: A proposed system and its control processes. In: Spence KW, Spenc JT, editors. The Psychology of Learning and Motivation 2. New York: Academic Press. 2006; 89-105.
  3. Eysenck A. Fundamentals of cognition. New York: Psychology Press. 2007; 16-19.
  4. Baddely A. Working memory, thought and action. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. 2007; 30-35.
  5. Mfem CC, Seriki SA. Impact of amitriptyline on learning and memory. Insights Depress Anxiety. 2021; 5: 009-015. DOI: 29328/journal.ida.1001025
  6. Spear NE, Ricco DC. Memory: Phenomena and principles. Allyn and Bacconprinters. 1994; 156-17.
  7. Zola M, Suire LR. Neuroanatomy of memory. Ann Neurosci. 2003; 16:547-563.
  8. Hirschfeld RM. The epidemiology of depression and the evolution of treatment. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2012; 73(Suppl 1): 5–9.
  9. Murray CJ, Lopez AD. Alternative projections of mortality and disability by cause 1990-2020: Global Burden of Disease Study. Lancet. 1997 May 24;349(9064):1498-504. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(96)07492-2. PMID: 9167458.
  10. Belmaker RH, Agam G. Major depressive disorder. N Engl J Med. 2008 Jan 3;358(1):55-68. doi: 10.1056/NEJMra073096. PMID: 18172175.
  11. Hirschfeld RM. The epidemiology of depression and the evolution of treatment. J Clin Psychiatry. 2012;73 Suppl 1:5-9. doi: 10.4088/JCP.11096su1c.01. PMID: 22951236.Widlocher, D. J. (1983). Psychomotor retardation: clinical, theoretical, and sychometric aspects. Psychiatric Clinical North American, 6(1): 27–40
  12. Lane MD, O’ Hanlon JF. Cognitive and psychomotor effects of antidepressants with emphasis on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and the depressed elderly patient. Ger. J. Psych. 1999; 2:1–42.
  13. Montenegro M, Veiga H, Deslandes A, Cagy M, McDowell K, Pompeu F, Piedade R, Ribeiro P. Neuromodulatory effects of caffeine and bromazepam on visual event-related potential (P300): a comparative study. Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2005 Jun;63(2B):410-5. doi: 10.1590/s0004-282x2005000300009. Epub 2005 Jul 25. PMID: 16059590.
  14. Cunha M, Portela C, Bastos VH, Machado D, Machado S, Velasques B, Budde H, Cagy M, Basile L, Piedade R, Ribeiro P. Responsiveness of sensorimotor cortex during pharmacological intervention with bromazepam. Neurosci Lett. 2008 Dec 19;448(1):33-6. doi: 10.1016/j.neulet.2008.10.024. Epub 2008 Oct 14. PMID: 18938214.
  15. Skolnick P, Layer RT, Popik P, Nowak G, Paul IA, Trullas R. Adaptation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors following antidepressant treatment: implications for the pharmacotherapy of depression. Pharmacopsychiatry. 1996 Jan;29(1):23-6. doi: 10.1055/s-2007-979537. PMID: 8852530.
  16. Sanacora G, Mason GF, Rothman DL, Krystal JH. Increased occipital cortex GABA concentrations in depressed patients after therapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Am J Psychiatry. 2002 Apr;159(4):663-5. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.159.4.663. PMID: 11925309.
  17. Bhagwagar Z, Wylezinska M, Taylor M, Jezzard P, Matthews PM, Cowen PJ. Increased brain GABA concentrations following acute administration of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. Am J Psychiatry. 2004 Feb;161(2):368-70. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.161.2.368. PMID: 14754790.
  18. Riga MS, Sánchez C, Celada P, Artigas F. Involvement of 5-HT3 receptors in the action of vortioxetine in rat brain: Focus on glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission. Neuropharmacology. 2016 Sep;108:73-81. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.04.023. Epub 2016 Apr 20. PMID: 27106166.
  19. Ennaceur A, Delacour J. A new one-trial test for neurobiological studies of memory in rats. 1: Behavioral data. Behav Brain Res. 1988 Nov 1;31(1):47-59. doi: 10.1016/0166-4328(88)90157-x. PMID: 3228475.
  20. Morris R. Developments of a water-maze procedure for studying spatial learning in the rat. J Neurosci Methods. 1984 May;11(1):47-60. doi: 10.1016/0165-0270(84)90007-4. PMID: 6471907.
  21. McDonald RJ, White NM. Parallel information processing in the water maze: evidence for independent memory systems involving dorsal striatum and hippocampus. Behav Neural Biol. 1994 May;61(3):260-70. doi: 10.1016/s0163-1047(05)80009-3. PMID: 8067981.
  22. Dalm S, Grootendorst J, de Kloet ER, Oitzl MS. Quantification of swim patterns in the Morris water maze. Behav Res Methods Instrum Comput. 2000 Feb;32(1):134-9. doi: 10.3758/bf03200795. PMID: 10758671.
  23. Brown RE, Corey SC, Moore AK. Difference in Measures of exploration and fear in MHC congenic C%&BL/6J and B6.H-2k Mice-behaviour Genetics. 1999; 26: 263-271.
  24. Podhorna J, Brown RE. Strain differences in activity and emotionality do not account for differences in learning and memory performance between C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice. Genes Brain Behav. 2002 May;1(2):96-110. doi: 10.1034/j.1601-183x.2002.10205.x. PMID: 12884980.
  25. Sik A, van Nieuwehuyzen P, Prickaerts J, Blokland A. Performance of different mouse strains in an object recognition task. Behav Brain Res. 2003 Dec 17;147(1-2):49-54. doi: 10.1016/s0166-4328(03)00117-7. PMID: 14659569.
  26. Goulart BK, de Lima MN, de Farias CB, Reolon GK, Almeida VR, Quevedo J, Kapczinski F, Schröder N, Roesler R. Ketamine impairs recognition memory consolidation and prevents learning-induced increase in hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels. Neuroscience. 2010 Jun 2;167(4):969-73. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2010.03.032. Epub 2010 Mar 22. PMID: 20338225.
  27. Selvaraj V, Veeravalli S, Ramaswamy S, Balon R, Yeragani VK. Depression, suicidality and antidepressants: A coincidence? Indian J Psychiatry. 2010 Jan;52(1):17-20. doi: 10.4103/0019-5545.58890. PMID: 20174513; PMCID: PMC2824975.
  28. Ennaceur A, Delacour J. A new one-trial test for neurobiological studies of memory in rats. 1: Behavioral data. Behav Brain Res. 1988 Nov 1;31(1):47-59. doi: 10.1016/0166-4328(88)90157-x. PMID: 3228475.

Figures:

Similar Articles

Recently Viewed

Read More

Most Viewed

Read More

Help ?