Abstract:

Objective   To explore the effect of antiepileptic drugs valproate acid（VPA）,oxcarbazepine（OXC） and levetiracetam（LEV） on cognitive functions and expressions of glutamate receptor 2 and synaptophysin of the hippocampus in rats. Methods   60 Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups(n=10): normal control group,VPA group, LEV group, OXC group, LEV+VPA group and LEV+OXC group. The drugs were given by gavage twice-daily for 90 days, and then the spatial and conditional learning and memory abilities of the rats were tested with Moriss water maze and shuttle box test. The expressions of glutamate rceptor 2 and synaptophysin in hippocampus were tested by immunohistochemical method. Results    Compared with normal control group, the VPA group had a significant  differences in the mean time of escape latencies, precise time and swimming time of the Moriss water maze, and in active avoidance times, active avoidance latencies and passive avoidance latencies of shuttle box(P＜0.05）.Compared with the normal control group, VPA group had significant decreases in the expressions of glutamate receptor 2 and synaptophysin, and there was a significant decrease in the expression of glutamate receptor 2 in the LEV+VPA group（P＜0.05）. Conclusion   LEV,OXC,LEV+OXC and LEV+VPA have no effect on cognitive functions, and the effect of VPA on cognitive functions may be related with the decrease of the expressions of glutamate receptor 2 and synaptophysin.

Key words: Anticonvulsants； Cognition disorders； Hippocampus； Receptor， glutamate； Synaptophysin