Title:Somatostatin and Cognitive Function in Neurodegenerative Disorders
Volume: 13
Issue: 1
Author(s): Gabor Tuboly and Laszlo Vecsei
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Alzheimer’s disease, animal models, cognition, Huntington’s disease, learning, memory, Parkinson’s disease,
somatostatin
Abstract: During the past 40 years, somatostatin (SST) has been a subject of intensive research. Apart from its substantial
role in the neuroendocrine system, due to its dense localization in various areas in the brain, its functions as a
neuromodulator have also been thoroughly investigated. Increasing evidence suggests that SST plays a crucial role in
memory and cognition. Synthetic forms, biologically active peptide sequences, SST receptor agonists and SST depleting
agents have been applied in animal models and in human studies of a number of neuropsychiatric disorders. The
translation of experimental data into clinical use could provide novel therapies in neurodegenerative disorders involving
cognitive dysfunctions. However in view of the controversial data reported concerning the different roles of the SST
receptor subtypes, and the lack of SST analogs that are able to cross diffusion barriers and act selectively at these receptor
subtypes, broader clinical use of SST analogs as cognitive enhancers is limited. This review covers the whole range of
available experimental results relating to the behavioral effects of SST, and highlights the potential for further
investigations.
