The protective effect of metformin in scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairment in rats

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. One of the most commonly prescribed oral antidiabetic drug, metformin, has been shown to have beneficial effects on restoring impaired cognitive function. In the present study, we investigated the effects of metformin on spatial memory in terms of alleviating scopolamine-induced learning and memory impairments in rats by using the Morris water maze (MWM) test and the modified elevated plus-maze (mEPM) test. Furthermore, we investigated the possible mechanisms of action of metformin in preventing cognitive dysfunction.

Male Wistar rats received metformin (50, 100, or 200 mg/kg/day) via gavage feeding for three weeks. Scopolamine was administered intraperitoneally before the probe step of the MWM test or the acquisition session of the mEPM test.

The learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine was reversed by metformin. In addition, metformin improved the level of phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase and cAMP responsive element binding protein. However, metformin pretreatment had no impact on inhibiting the scopolamine-induced changes in acetylcholine levels. Furthermore, metformin exerted its antioxidant effect by significantly reversing scopolamine-induced changes in malondialdehyde, total antioxidant status, and superoxide dismutase levels in the hippocampus.

Our results indicate that one of the most commonly used antidiabetic drug, metformin, has the potential to prevent the development of dementia and be a novel therapeutic drug for the amelioration of cognitive dysfunction in AD.