Cardiovascular pathologies are frequently associated with anxiety
and other behavioral disturbances. Ivabradine, an inhibitor of the
hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels in
the sinoatrial node, decreases heart rate and provides
cardiovascular protection. Although ivabradine is increasingly
used in cardiovascular medicine, the data on its behavioral
effects are lacking. The aim of this work was to show
ivabradine’s potential effect on behavior in healthy and
hypertensive rats. After a four-week treatment period, systolic
blood pressure was increased in the N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl
ester (L-NAME)-group and ivabradine significantly reduced it.
Furthermore, it reduced the heart rate in both the control and
L-NAME-group. In the control group, ivabradine enhanced the
time spent in and transition to the open arms of the elevated
plus maze test (EPM). In the L-NAME-group, ivabradine does not
show a significant effect on the time spent in the EPM open arms
and the number of transitions into them. Furthermore, ivabradine
has no impact on cognitive function in both control and L-NAME
groups. We conclude that ivabradine showed no undesirable
effects on anxiety, locomotion or learning; in fact, some of these
parameters were even improved. For the first time it has been
shown that ivabradine is a safe cardiovascular drug regarding its
effect on psycho-behavioral manifestations.