Anatomy & Physiology: Current Research
Open Access
ISSN: 2161-0940
ISSN: 2161-0940
Praveen Kottath Veetil, M V Raghavendra Rao, Satheesh B Arja, Balaramiah Meka, Farooq A Shiekh and Simi Paramban
Avalon University School of Medicine, Curacao
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Anat Physiol
The effects of Catha edulis, as a CNS stimulant have been studied on various aspects, but how C. edulis influences spatial learning and memory is not clear. We hypothesize C. edulis, as it contains amphetamine like substances; will also influence spatial learning and memory. With this aim, a comparative study is conceded using another CNS stimulant, methylphenidate (MPD), an advanced therapeutic for treatment of attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Spatial learning and memory was assessed using radial arm maze, by analysing five dependent measures obtained in every trial: Time to complete a trial, latency to first arm entry, number of reference memory errors, and number of working memory correct and incorrect errors. Taken together, our results showed that C. edulis, and not MPD fed rats, had impaired learning and memory, implicated by increased time to complete a trial. Either C. edulis or MPD increased attention in rats, as in both groups, latency to first arm entry was less. Moreover, C. edulis fed rats were more effected in the working memory component and reference memory was intact, highlighting the significance of restricting the widespread use of C. edulis in humans. Multiple evidences and our findings strongly support the use of MPD as a choice of drug in treatment of ADHD with minimum deterioration on learning and memory, in spite of increasing attention and alertness. However, considering differential action of C. edulis and MPD on neurotransmitter systems of brain, more studies are requested for the effect of C. edulis on neurotransmitters in hippocampal network.