Seyedeh Masoumeh Seyedhosseini Tamijani - Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Elmira Beirami - Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran
Hamed Ghazvini - Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Raheleh Rafaiee - Department of Neuroscience, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
Masoud Nazeri - Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Moazamehosadat Razavinasab - ۱.Neuroscience Research Center, Neuropharmacology Institute, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran ۲. Department of Physiology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

Background: Methamphetamine (MA), is a widely abused synthetic psychostimulant that leads to irreversible brain damage manifested as cognitive impairments in humans and animals. The novel object recognition (NOR) task is a commonly used behavioral assay for the investigation of non-spatial memory in rodents. This test is based on the natural tendency of rodents to spend more time exploring a novel object than a familiar one. NOR test has been used in many studies investigating cognitive deficits caused by MA in rodents. The objective of the present study was to review neurobiological mechanisms that might be responsible for MA-induced NOR alterations. Methods: A PubMed search showed ۸۳ publications using novel object recognition and methamphetamine as keywords in the past ۱۰ years. Findings: The present study revealed different MA regimens cause recognition memory impairment in rodents. In addition, it was found that the main neurobiological mechanism involved in MA-induced recognition deficits is the dysfunction of monoaminergic systems. Conclusion: NOR is a useful test to assess the cognitive functions following MA administration and evaluate the efficacy of new therapeutic agents in MA-addicted individuals.

Methamphetamine, Novel object recognition test, Monoaminergic systems, Cognitive Impairment, Rodents