protective effects of aminoguanidine against sodium metavanadate-induced spatial memory retention impairment in morris water maze

Background: vanadium is a potential neurotoxic agent widely distributed in the environment. understanding the neurotoxic mechanisms of vanadium on learning and memory seems necessary. methods: we investigated the time-dependent (1-week, 2- week and 4-week) effects of sodium metavanadate (smv) (25 mg/kg/day; pre-training oral administration) and 4-day intraperitoneal injections of aminoguanidine (ag) as a selective inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (10, 50, and 100 mg/kg) on spatial memory retention in morris water maze. animals were trained for 4 days and tested 48 h after the last training trial. results: the data showed that 4-week oral pre-treatment with smv (25 mg/kg/day) induced spatial memory retention deficits and decreased the time spent in the target quadrant. we found that 4-day administration of different doses of ag during training trials significantly decreased the time and distance of finding the hidden platforms. additionally, smv-induced spatial memory retention impairments were prevented in animals received combined smv (25 mg/kg/day, 4 weeks) and ag (10 mg/kg/day, 4 days). conclusion: our findings showed the protective role of ag on smv-induced spatial memory retention deficits.