Nilvadipine prevents the impairment of spatial memory induced by cerebral ischemia combined with β-amyloid in rats

In the present study, we examined the effects of nilvadipine and amlodipine, both dihydropyridine-derivative calcium antagonists, on the impairment of spatial memory induced by a combination of ischemia and β-amyloid (Aβ). Nilvadipine (3.2 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly prevented the impairment of spatial memory and neuronal apoptosis in this model. By contrast, amlodipine had no effect on this impairment of spatial memory. These findings suggest that nilvadipine may prevent impairment of spatial memory by inhibiting neuronal apoptosis; this drug might therefore be useful for the prevention of the progression to dementia in Alzheimer's disease (AD).