OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of citicoline on spatial learning and memory of rats after focal cerebral ischemia.

METHODSThe rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, ischemia control group and citicoline group. In the later two groups, focal cerebral ischemia model was established by introducing an intraluminal filament into the left middle cerebral artery, and citicoline (500 mg/kg) or 0.9% NaCl was administered intraperitoneally once a day for 2 weeks after the operation. The rats in the sham-operation group were not subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) with intraluminal filament. The spatial learning and memory functions of the rats were evaluated by Morris water maze test 15 days after MCAO for 5 days.

RESULTSThe rats in ischemia control group exhibited serious spatial learning and memory deficits in both place navigation test and spatial probe test. In the former test, the mean escape latency of citicoline-treated rats were significantly shorter than that of ischemia control rats (P<0.01), and in the latter test significant diffidence was noted between citicoline and ischemia control groups in the percentage time spent in the former platform quadrant and frequency of crossing the former platform (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONCiticoline can improve the spatial learning and memory function of rats after focal cerebral ischemia.