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Background Retigabine belongs to the novel generation of antiepileptic drugs but its complex mechanism of action causes that the drug might be effective in other diseases, for instance, alcohol dependence. It is known that ethanol abuse impaired the function of brain structures associated with memory and learning such as the hippocampus. In our previous study, retigabine reduced hippocampal changes induced by ethanol in the EEG rhythms in rabbits. This study is focused on the impact of retigabine on memory processes in male rats receiving alcohol. Methods Memory was evaluated in various experimental models: Morris water maze, Contextual, and Cued Fear Conditioning tests. Retigabine was administered for 3 weeks directly to the stomach via oral gavage at a dose of 10 mg/kg. Rats received also 20% ethanol (5 g/kg/day in two doses) via oral gavage for 3 weeks and had free access to 5% ethanol in the afternoon and at night. Morris water maze was performed after 1 and 3 weeks of ethanol administration and after 1 week from the discontinuation of ethanol administration. Contextual and Cued Fear Conditioning tests were carried out after 24 h and 72 h of alcohol discontinuation. Results The drug significantly decreased ethanol-induced memory disturbances during alcohol administration as well as slightly improved learning processes after the discontinuation of ethanol administration. Conclusions This beneficial effect of retigabine-ethanol interaction on memory may be a relevant element of the drug’s impact on the development of addiction.

A pharmaco-EEG method was used to determine the influence of a new anti-epileptic drug zonisamide on the development and course of alcohol dependence in rabbits. The drug co-administered with ethanol decreased alcohol-induced changes in selected brain structures. Zonisamide also decreases abstinence-induced changes in the EEG recordings.

Background: Antiepileptic drugs might be useful in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. One of these drugs is zonisamide, which has been found to decrease alcohol intake and cravings. An important structure in the pathophysiology of addiction is the hippocampus. Memory deficits, which frequently occur in alcoholics, are associated with ethanol-induced changes in hippocampal plasticity and neurogenesis. The aim of this study was to assess the potential protective effect of zonisamide on memory in rats receiving alcohol and after the discontinuation of its administration. Methods: Wistar rats (n = 43) were tested in four behavioral models, namely: Morris water maze (MWM), passive avoidance (PA), contextual fear conditioning (CFC), and cued fear conditioning (CuFC). Results: Zonisamide co-administered with ethanol impaired spatial memory in MWM, but the drug did not affect memory in PA. However, the beneficial effect of zonisamide was observed after the discontinuation of ethanol administration, which was associated with the improvement of associative memory in CFC and the alleviation of alcohol-induced locomotor disturbances in CuFC. Conclusion: Zonisamide has a differential influence on memory, which depends inter alia on type of the memory, length of ethanol administration, or its absence.

These findings reveal that 'antialcoholic' activity of topiramate may be associated with its advantageous effect on memory and learning processes.