Protective effect of melatonin on learning and memory impairment and hippocampal dysfunction in rats induced by high-fructose corn syrup

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey

2 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkey

3 Department of Biostatistics and Medical informatics, Faculty of Medicine, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey

Abstract

Objective(s): We investigated the harmful effects of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) on learning and memory in the hippocampus and the ameliorative effects of melatonin (Mel). 
Materials and Methods: Thirty-six adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into three groups: Group I, control; Group II, HFCS; and Group III, HFCS+Mel. HFCS form F55 was prepared as a 20% fructose syrup solution. Rats in HFCS and HFCS+Mel groups were given drinking water for 10 weeks. Rats in the HFCS+Mel group have been given 10 mg/kg/day melatonin orally for the 6 weeks, in addition to HFCS 55. The Morris water maze (MWM) test was applied to all animals for 5 days to determine their learning and memory levels. After decapitation, one-half of the hippocampus samples were collected for western blot analysis, and another half of the tissues were collected for histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. 
Results: In the HFCS group, there was a significant difference between the time to find the platform in the MWM test and time spent in the quadrant between days 1 and 5 (P=0.037 and P=0.001, respectively). In addition, a decreased level of MT1A receptor, TNF-α, iNOS, osteopontin (OPN), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) expressions were significantly increased in the HFCS group. Melatonin treatment reversed MT1A receptor levels and TNF-α, iNOS, OPN, and IL-6 expressions. During the histopathological examination, increased neuronal degenerations were observed in the HFCS group. Melatonin ameliorated these changes.
Conclusion: Consumption of HFCS caused deterioration of learning and memory in adult rats. We suggest that melatonin is effective against learning and memory disorders.

Keywords

References

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Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences
Volume 26, Issue 1
January 2023
Pages 69-75

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