Coumestrol pre-treatment improves spatial learning and memory deficits following transient cerebral ischemia recruiting hippocampal GluR2 AMPA receptors.

Transient global ischemia is a leading cause of learning and memory dysfunction and induces a pattern of delayed neuronal death in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus by down-regulating GluR2 mRNA AMPA receptors in this cerebral area. This study sought to investigate the neuroprotective effect of coumestrol against spatial memory impairment induced by global ischemia that leads to neural death by reducing the GluR2 receptors content in the hippocampal CA1 area. Our studies demonstrated that coumestrol administration prevented spatial memory deficits in mice. These findings suggest a cognitive enhancement role of coumestrol against cognitive impairment in ischemic events.