CHRONIC TREATMENT WITH PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE RESTORES MUSCARINIC CHOLINERGIC RECEPTOR DEFICITS IN THE AGED MOUSE-BRAIN

Chronic treatment (21 days) with phosphatidylserine (BC-PS) partially restored the reduced density of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in several regions of the aged (18 months) mouse brain. The effect was similar whether H-3-QNB or H-3-NMS was used as radioligand. The affinity of both radioligands was not altered by BC-PS treatment. Similar treatment of young (3 months) animals was without any effect on muscarinic cholinergic receptor density in all brain regions investigated. The effect was dose-dependent with elevations of receptor density between 15 and 28% for daily IP doses between 10 and 40 mg/kg, respectively. Similar treatment of aged mice with phosphatidylcholine (40 mg/kg) was without any effect. The data give further evidence that chronic treatment of aged animals with BC-PS reverses a variety of aged-related deficits of brain function.