Wendan decoction improves learning and memory deficits in a rat model of schizophrenia

Cuiping Yang; Changchun Cai; Xiaojin Yang; Yanping Yang; Zhigang Zhou; Jianhua Liu; Heping Ye; Hongjiao Wan

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.15.002

Wendan decoction improves learning and memory deficits in a rat model of schizophrenia

Neural Regen Res. 2012 May 25;7(15):1132-7. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.15.002.

Authors

Cuiping Yang¹, Changchun Cai², Xiaojin Yang³, Yanping Yang⁴, Zhigang Zhou¹, Jianhua Liu¹, Heping Ye¹, Hongjiao Wan¹

Affiliations

¹ Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, Jiangxi Province, China.
² Affiliated Hospital of Jiujiang University of Jiangxi Province, Jiujiang 332000, Jiangxi Province, China.
³ Grade 2010 Postgraduate, Medical School of Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi Province, China.
⁴ Grade 2010 Postgraduate, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221004, Jiangsu Province, China.

PMID: 25722705
PMCID: PMC4340029
DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2012.15.002

Abstract

An experimental model of schizophrenia was established using dizocilpine (MK-801). Rats were intragastrically administered with Wendan decoction or clozapine for 21 days prior to establishing the model. The results revealed that the latency of schizophrenia model rats to escape from the hidden platform in the Morris water maze was significantly shortened after administration of Wendan decoction or clozapine. In addition, the treated rats crossed the platform significantly more times than the untreated model rats. Moreover, the rate of successful long-term potentiation induction in the Wendan decoction group and clozapine group were also obviously increased compared with the model group, and the population spike peak latency was significantly shortened. These experimental findings suggest that Wendan decoction can improve the learning and memory ability of schizophrenic rats to the same extent as clozapine treatment.

Keywords: Morris water maze; Wendan decoction; hippocampus; learning and memory; long-term potentiation; neural regeneration; schizophrenia; traditional Chinese medicine.