Rationale: There is a persistent pressing need for valid animal models of cognitive and mnemonic disruptions (such as seen in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias) usable for preclinical research.
Objectives: We have set out to test the validity of administration of biperiden, an M1-acetylcholine receptor antagonist with central selectivity, as a potential tool for generating a fast screening model of cognitive impairment, in outbred Wistar rats.
Methods: We used several variants of the Morris water maze task: (1) reversal learning, to assess cognitive flexibility, with probe trials testing memory retention; (2) delayed matching to position (DMP), to evaluate working memory; and (3) "counter-balanced acquisition," to test for possible anomalies in acquisition learning. We also included a visible platform paradigm to reveal possible sensorimotor and motivational deficits.
Results: A significant effect of biperiden on memory acquisition and retention was found in the counter-balanced acquisition and probe trials of the counter-balanced acquisition and reversal tasks. Strikingly, a less pronounced deficit was observed in the DMP. No effects were revealed in the reversal learning task.
Conclusions: Based on our results, we do not recommend biperiden as a reliable tool for modeling cognitive impairment.
Keywords: Anticholinergics; Learning; Memory; Morris water maze; Muscarinic receptors; Rat.