Reversal of age-related cognitive impairments by an M1 cholinergic agonist, AF102B.

ABSTRACT

This study examined the effect of a specific M1 cholinergic agonist, AF102B, on place learning of aged and young rats. Spatial reference memory was tested in the Morris Water Maze task, while spatial working memory was tested on an 8-arm radial maze. Both memory functions were impaired in aged rats compared to young animals. However, the administration of AF102B significantly reduced the age-related cognitive impairments observed in both tasks. This data supports the assertion of the "cholinergic hypothesis," namely that specific enhancement of cholinergic function may reverse geriatric cognitive deficits.