Abstract
Background: The brain is the important part of the nervous system in all vertebrates. The hippocampus in the humans serves as a major component of the brain. It is a part of the limbic system and plays major roles in acquiring long-term memory and spatial navigation. Among all dementia, Alzheimer’s dementia is most common. The affected person experiences inability to learn new information, has nominal and comprehensive aphasia, apraxia, agnosia, and impairment in execution of functioning. Coenzyme Q10 (Co-Q10) is a lipophilic molecule found, especially in high concentration in the mitochondrial inner membrane. The importance of Co-Q10 in mitochondrial function and its role as an antioxidant have led to therapeutic applications and clinical trials in degenerative diseases.

Aim and Objective: This study aims to evaluate the learning and memory enhancing properties of Co-Q10 in albino Wistar rats.

Materials and Methods: Eighteen healthy rats were selected for the study, which were divided into three groups. Scopolamine was used as amnestic agent, elevated plus maze (EPM), pole climbing test, and novel object recognition (NOR) tests were used for testing the learning and memory processes.

Results: Co-Q10 at higher doses (400 mg/kg) showed significant activity in EPM, pole climbing test, and NOR test for assessing the learning and memory skills when compared to the control group.

Conclusion: The present study results revealed that Co-Q10 high doses potentiated the process of learning and memory skills when tested using EPM, pole climbing test, and NOR test which are considered as standard paradigms of learning and memory screening models. The results of this study need to be further evaluated by comprehensive experimental studies and further validated by clinical trials.

Key words: Coenzyme Q10; Elevated Plus Maze; Learning and Memory; Novel Object Recognition; Pole Climbing Test; Scopolamine