Chronic hyperprolinemia provokes a memory deficit in the Morris water maze task

In the present study we investigated the effect of chronic proline (Pro) administration on rat performance in the Morris water maze task. Rats received s.c. injections of Pro twice a day at 8 h intervals from the 6th to the 28th days of age and equivalent volume of 0.9% saline solution (control). On the 60th day of life, rats were subjected to the water maze task. Results showed that chronic Pro administration provokes impairment on spatial learning, as shown by the increase of latency in acquisition and retention and by a reduced efficiency to find the platform position in the working memory test. Present results suggest that hyperprolininemia causes cognitive dysfunction and might be relevant to explain, at least in part, the neurological dysfunction associated with hyperprolinemia.