Peripheral administration of D-cycloserine rescues memory consolidation following bacterial endotoxin exposure.

In the current study, the partial NMDA receptor agonist D-cycloserine (DCS) rescued memory consolidation following systemic bacterial endotoxin exposure. DCS failed, however, to restore hippocampal BDNF mRNA levels that were diminished following a systemic administration of LPS, and did not alter NR1 or NR2C NMDA receptor subunit expression. These results extend prior research into the role of DCS in neural-immune interactions, and indicate that the detrimental effects of peripheral LPS administration on consolidation of contextual fear memory may be ameliorated with DCS treatment, though the mechanisms underlying these effects are currently unclear.

Prolonged elevation in hippocampal Aβ and cognitive deficits following repeated endotoxin exposure in the mouse.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by neuronal cell death and atrophy in regions of the adult brain, including the hippocampus and cortex, due to formation of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. The presence of these pathologies can limit normal signaling properties and ultimately lead to learning and memory deficits. Chronic inflammation has been implicated in the onset and progression of these AD-related pathologies.