Study of Cognitive Function Enhancing Effect of Nimodipine by using Morris Water Maze Test

Objective: To study effect of nimodipine on the cognitive function by using morris water maze test.
Materials and Method: The effect of nimodipine on the cognitive function was studied using morris water maze test in albino mice. Albino mice of both sex were divided into three groups viz. young control group (n=10), old control group (n=10) and nimodipine treated old mice group (n=10). The first two groups were treated with normal saline whereas last group was treated with nimodipine (2mg/kg I.P. [Intraperitoneal]) for 10 days. The animals were tested on 1st, 5th, 9th and 10th day of the trial. vehicle and nimodipine were given half an hour before the test.
Results: In Morris water maze test the mice has to search the hidden platform. Young mice were competent from the beginning in learning and memory and their performance further increased with the training, as evident by significant decrease in latency to find the platform and increasing number of crossing over the platform area. On the contrary aged mice did not show significant performance in any parameter. However treatment with nimodipine in another group of aged mice showed significant improvement in all the parameters of the water maze test but did not reach the performance of young mice.
Conclusion: The study suggestions that nimodopine enhances cognitive function in mice.