Figure 7.

The metabolic enhancer piracetam reduces mPTP opening in aged mice. Mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) opening was induced by ((a), (c), and (d)) 1 μMol/mg protein calcium or ((b), (c), and (d)) 400 μM atractyloside, maximal swelling was induced by alamethicin, and changes in absorbance by 540 nm were examined. Mitochondrial swelling after 5 min preincubation with piracetam (Pira, 1 mM) was analyzed using isolated mitochondria from (c) aged (18 months) and (d) young (12 weeks) NMRI mice. Cyclosporine A (CsA, 1 μM) was used as a positive control for the inhibition of mPTP opening. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM; Student's paired t-test (^∗ p < 0.05, ^∗∗ p < 0.01, and ^∗∗∗ p < 0.001 compared to mitochondria without CsA or Pira pretreatment); n = 4–8.