College:  University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Email: gxz868@alumni.ku.dk

Thesis title: Investigation of the pharmacokinetics of aniracetam and its metabolite N-anisoyl-GABA in pigeons

Co-supervisor: Dr Lene Jørgensen (University of Copenhagen, Denmark)

Project description:

There is an increasing need to develop drugs that can improve cognitive decline.  Aniracetam is a nootropic drug that has potential cognition-enhancing effects and is being investigated as a treatment for Alzheimer’s disease.  In humans, aniracetam is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and the majority of the drug is rapidly metabolized to the active metabolite, N-anisoyl-GABA.

The enhanced memory effect of aniracetam is being investigated in avian species because birds can be trained to perform a wider range of learning and memory tasks than traditional laboratory species such as rats.  Further, birds have the glutamate receptors that are modulated in humans by aniracetam.  However, the pharmacokinetics of aniracetam in birds is currently unknown.

To investigate the pharmacokinetics of aniracetam I will use HPLC and LC-MS/MS.