Effect of Donepezil Hydrochloride on the Changes about ERK in the Hippocampal Neurons of Mice with Vascular Dementia

Objective To observe the effect of donepezil hydrochloride on the changes about extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK) in the hippocampal neurons of mice with vascular dementia(VD).Methods Kunming mice were divided into the sham operated group,model group and treatment group with donepezil hydrochloride randomly.The models of VD mice were established through three times ischemia-reperfusion of bilateral common carotid arteries.The mice from drug group were treated with donepezil hydrochloride.The behavioral scores of three groups were investigated by step-down test and water maze test at days 29,30 respectively.The expressing changes of ERK in hippocampal neurons were observed by immunohistochemical technique.Results The grades of learning and memory of VD mice were obviously improved by donepezil hydrochloride(P0.05).The expression of ERK1,ERK2 in the hippocampus CA1 and p-ERK in hippocampus CA3 was significantly lower in the model group than that in the sham operated group(P0.05) and the drug group(P0.05).Conclusions The decreased expression of ERK in the hippocampal neurons might participate the pathogenesis of VD.Donepezil hydrochloride could increase the content of acetylcholine which could activated ERK through M-receptor and furthermore improved abilities of learning and memory.