Abstract: AIM: To evaluate the cognitive improvement of MA9701,a newly synthesized nortropane and its bindingProperties at muscarinic receptor in the cortex and hippocampus.METHODS: Learning and memoryPerformance was studied using step-through test in mice.The kinetics for the binding to muscarinic receptor in the cortex and hippocampus were determined using [³H]-QNB.RESULTS: Compared with ethanol model group,MA9701 (3 and 10 mg·kg^-1)obviously decreased the number of errors in five minutes andProlonged the footshockPassive avoidancelatency in a dose-dependent and U-shaped manner.And also,MA9701 (5 and 10 mg·kg^-1)could significantly reverse scopolamine-induced memory impairment.Radioligand binding assays showed that MA9701 had 6 and 23 times higher affinities to muscarinic receptor in the cortex and hippocampus than oxo and arecloine,respectively.CONCLUSION: Novel nortropane MA9701 might exertPotent cognitive improvement by the activation of muscarinic receptor in the cortex and hippocampus.

Key words: pharmacology, M receptor agonist, learning and memory, radioligand binding assay