Evidence for the involvement of d-aspartic acid in learning and memory of rat |
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Authors: | Enza Topo Andrea Soricelli Angela Di Maio Enrico D’Aniello Maria Maddalena Di Fiore Antimo D’Aniello |
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Institution: | (1) Laboratory of Animal Physiology and Evolution, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121 Naples, Italy;(2) Fondazione IRCCS-SDN, Via Gianturco 113, 80143 Naples, Italy;(3) Department of Life Sciences, Second University of Naples, Via Vivaldi, 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy |
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Abstract: | d-Aspartic acid (d-Asp) is an endogenous amino acid present in neuroendocrine systems. Here, we report evidence that d-Asp in the rat is involved in learning and memory processes. Oral administration of sodium d-aspartate (40 mM) for 12–16 days improved the rats’ cognitive capability to find a hidden platform in the Morris water maze
system. Two sessions per day for three consecutive days were performed in two groups of 12 rats. One group was treated with
Na-d-aspartate and the other with control. A significant increase in the cognitive effect was observed in the treated group compared
to controls (two-way ANOVA with repeated measurements: F
(2, 105) = 57.29; P value < 0.001). Five further sessions of repeated training, involving a change in platform location, also displayed a significant
treatment effect F
(2, 84) = 27.62; P value < 0.001]. In the hippocampus of treated rats, d-Asp increased by about 2.7-fold compared to controls (82.5 ± 10.0 vs. the 30.6 ± 5.4 ng/g tissue; P < 0.0001). Moreover, 20 randomly selected rats possessing relatively high endogenous concentrations of d-Asp in the hippocampus were much faster in reaching the hidden platform, an event suggesting that their enhanced cognitive
capability was functionally related to the high levels of d-Asp. The correlation coefficient calculated in the 20 rats was R = −0.916 with a df of 18; P < 0.001. In conclusion, this study provides corroborating evidence that d-aspartic acid plays an important role in the modulation of learning and memory. |
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