Oral aniracetam treatment in C57BL/6J mice without pre-existing cognitive dysfunction reveals no changes in learning, memory, anxiety or stereotypy

Abstract

Background: The piracetam analog, aniracetam, has recently received attention for its cognition enhancing potential, with minimal reported side effects. Previous studies report the drug to be effective in both human and non-human models with pre-existing cognitive dysfunction, but few studies have evaluated its efficacy in healthy subjects. A previous study performed in our laboratory found no cognitive enhancing effects of oral aniracetam administration 1-hour prior to behavioral testing in naïve C57BL/6J mice. Methods: The current study aims to further evaluate this drug by administration of aniracetam 30 minutes prior to testing in order to optimize any cognitive enhancing effects. In this study, all naïve C57BL/6J mice were tested in tasks of delayed fear conditioning, novel object recognition, rotarod, open field, elevated plus maze, and marble burying. Results: Across all tasks, animals in the treatment group failed to show enhanced learning when compared to controls. Conclusions: These results provide further evidence suggesting that aniracetam conveys no therapeutic benefit to subjects without pre-existing cognitive dysfunction.

Aniracetam does not improve working memory in neurologically healthy pigeons

“…A few recent studies have found that aniracetam conveys no therapeutic benefit in healthy mice with respect to a variety of learning and memory paradigms[35, 36]. After treatment with aniracetam, mice learned to balance on an accelerating rotating rod at the same rate as mice treated with a placebo [35].…”

“…After treatment with aniracetam, mice learned to balance on an accelerating rotating rod at the same rate as mice treated with a placebo [35]. Aniracetam treatment did not improve spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze, and did not enhance fear conditioning[35, 36]. Our current study, as well as an earlier study in pigeons [16] are in line with these findings, and support the view that aniracetam does not improve learning and memory in healthy subjects.…”

Effects of Smart Drugs on Cholinergic System and Non-Neuronal Acetylcholine in the Mouse Hippocampus: Histopathological Approach

“…However, it has been shown to improve memory in people with age-related mental decline but does not seem to have much benefit in healthy adults [ 9 , 10 ]. There are also reports that aniracetam or piracetam was administered to normal experimental animals, and the learning experiment was conducted on cognitive function [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. Aniracetam has been shown to enhance excitatory post-synaptic potentials [ 14 ], increase excitatory post-synaptic current (EPSC) decay time [ 15 ], and augment long-term potentiation in the hippocampus [ 16 ].…”