METHOD FOR ASSAY OF COGNITION AND MEMORY BASED ON LOW FREQUENCY STIMULATION

摘要

The invention provides an in vitro method for eliciting long term potentiation (LTP) in the neuronal tissue of an animal using an electrical stimulation protocol that ranges from 4 to 12 Hz. The stimulation is applied over a short time course and yields an enhanced electrophysiological output which lasts for several hours. The method can be used to identify compounds, which can be used for enhancing LTP in an animal and ultimately cognitive performance and memory, as well as for developing pharmacological treatments for learning or memory impairments in e.g., aged humans with pathological memory impairments such as Alzheimer's disease.