Effect of Long term bilateral and unilateral vestibular stimulation in cognition in scopolamine-induced dementia

Abstract

The aim of the study is to provide preliminary evidence on beneficial effects of long term caloric vestibular stimulation as an alternative therapy for enhancement of cognition and motor activity as well as delay/prevent dementia symptoms in scopolamine induce dementia in a rat model. Adult male Wistar albino rats were chosen in the current study. Scopolamine was the drug of choice to induce dementia and donepezil was used as a standard drug in this study. Vestibular stimulation method was Caloric vestibular stimulation which was administered by injecting hot water of 45 degrees centigrade into the middle ear cavity with the help of syringe for 60 days (both bilaterally and unilaterally). In conclusion, bilateral and unilateral left vestibular stimulation had found to beneficial in improving spatial memory, motor control and various cognitive neurotransmitter levels in scopolamine-induced dementia rats. But the mechanism is largely unclear and unknown. Further detailed studies should be conducted in this area to explore mechanisms of action.