Anseculin improves passive avoidance learning of aged mice.

Anseculin is a new coumarine derivative with promising cognition improving properties. We investigated its possible effects on passive avoidance learning in young and aged mice and the possible relationship to its alpha(1)-antagonistic properties.A single dose of anseculin did not affect long-term memory of young and aged mice. Moreover, in young mice, subchronic treatment with anseculin had no effect on cognitive functions, whereas aged, cognitively impaired mice clearly showed improved long-term memory with no effects on short-term memory. Further biochemical studies of aged control mice showed in comparison to the young mice a significant decrease of central alpha(1)-adrenoceptors density, but unchanged alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-mediated IP hydrolysis. Subchronic treatment with anseculin had no effect on the density of central alpha(1)-adrenoceptors in young adult mice and only a small although not significant effect on the density of cognitively-impaired aged mice. Furthermore, anseculin has no effects on alpha(1)-adrenoceptor-mediated IP hydrolysis.