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Updated: Mar 12, 2026

Assessment of Memory Function in Pilocarpine-induced Epileptic Mice
Published on: June 4, 2020
Memantine attenuates cognitive impairments after status epilepticus induced in a lithium-pilocarpine model
S V Kalemenev1, O E Zubareva1,2, V V Sizov2
1Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia.
Abstract:
The capability of memantine, a noncompetitive antagonist of the NMDA receptors, to prevent impairments of cognitive functions in rats was investigated in the lithium-pilocarpine model of epilepsy. After status epilepticus, rats exhibited impaired exploratory behavior and spatial memory, and a decline of extinction of orienting behavior. Memantine administration prevented these disturbances. Thus, the blockade of the NMDA receptors immediately after status epilepticus allowed prevention of the development of the possible cognitive impairments.
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