Rosiglitazone enhances learning, place cell activity, and synaptic plasticity in middle-aged rats.

As an antidiabetic agent, rosiglitazone (ROSI) binds and activates peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor gamma (PPARγ), altering the expression of genes involved in glucose uptake and disposal, ultimately affecting glucose regulation. ROSI might therefore be a potential treatment to ameliorate age-related decline in cognitive function, particularly on an insulin-resistant background, where improvements in peripheral insulin sensitivity and central nervous system (CNS) glucose utilization may facilitate recovery of cognitive function. We therefore examined the amelioration potential of ROSI for neurocognitive deficits resulting from aging in an animal model.