Session Information
Date: Wednesday, September 25, 2019
Session Title: Cognition and Cognitive Disorders
Session Time: 1:15pm-2:45pm
Location: Agora 3 East, Level 3
Objective: To assess the non-inducing doses of scopolamine (SCL) on the memory function of Drosophila previously induced with Parkinson’s disease phenotype.
Background: A large body of clinical evidence from across the globe suggest a late onset dementia among aged Parkinson’s disease patients with a history of more than 10 years. However, the experimental data to substantiate this is limited. Hence we set out to study the physiology of dementia during long term Parkinson’s disease co-morbidity using Drosophila fly model.
Method: Old male flies (30d old) were rendered Parkinson’s with Rotenone (ROT) in the medium (0.10 mM, 25 flies/ replicate, 3 replicates/ group) for 15 days. These ROT flies were co-exposed with SCL (1mM, during the last 4 days). The flies were observed for manifestation of memory loss using open field test, climbing efficiency and stress level, terminally the fly-heads were assessed for acetylcholine esterase and acetylcholine levels (HPLC).
Results: Exposure of flies to ROT significantly induced motor deficits in terms of climbing and speed by the 5th day in comparison to the control flies. The flies which were co-exposed to SCL manifested memory loss (dementia) as evidenced from the open field test. In addition, the flies also exhibited a general dullness when compared to control, ROT and SCL alonge groups. SCL alone at the tested dose, did not cause significant alterations in the memory behaviour. Additionally the acetylcholine esterase activity levels were greatly increased among ROT+SCL groups while the acetylcholine levels were markedly decreased.
Conclusion: These data suggest a susceptibility of Parkinson’s group to a non-inducing doses of SCL in developing memory loss (dementia). The future studies are focused on understanding the pathophysiology of the co-morbidity of Parkinson’s disease and cognitive disorders among the aged groups.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
G. Chandran. Low doses of scopolamine exacerbates dementia among Drosophila with Parkinson’s disease pathophysiology [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2019; 34 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/low-doses-of-scopolamine-exacerbates-dementia-among-drosophila-with-parkinsons-disease-pathophysiology/. Accessed June 14, 2025.« Back to 2019 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/low-doses-of-scopolamine-exacerbates-dementia-among-drosophila-with-parkinsons-disease-pathophysiology/