Effect of metformin on the spatial memory in aged rats
Journal Title: National Journal of Physiology, Pharmacy and Pharmacology - Year 2015, Vol 5, Issue 5
Abstract
Background: Aging process is often accompanied with some degree of decline in all the abilities, including learning and memory. One of the attracting research fields has been devoted to finding antiaging drugs. Metformin has shown some memory-enhancing features in aged humans and laboratory animals. Aims and Objective: To evaluate the effects of 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg of metformin on the spatial memory performance of aged rats in the Morris water maze. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two male 24-month-old rats were divided randomly into four groups (n = 8) including control group and 50-, 75-, and 100-mg/kg metformin groups. After 36 days of treatment, the learning process was assessed by the reference memory task in the Morris water maze. All the rats received water maze training (four trials/day for 5 days) to assess the hippocampal-dependent spatial learning and, then, received a 60-s probe trial test of spatial memory retention 24 h after the twentieth trial. Result: Over 5 days of training, metformin (50, 75, and 100 mg/kg/day) treatment significantly reduced the latency and path length to find the escape platform (P o 0.01). In probe trials (without platform), on the last day of training, the metformin-treated groups spent significantly longer time in the platform quadrant when compared with the control group. Among the treated groups, 100 mg/kg dosage of metformin induced the best rehearsals memory (P o 0.05). Conclusion: These results showed that, in the old rats, 36-day orally administered metformin showed a positive influence on the spatial memory performance in the Morris water maze.
Authors and Affiliations
Zobeideh Ashrostaghi, Farzaneh Ganji, Hamid Sepehri
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP164635
- DOI 10.5455/njppp.2015.5.1208201564
- Views 74
- Downloads 0
Chronic administration of Vitamin C increases cognitive function in chronic stress induced rats
Background: Stress and increase in free radicals levels are known to alter cognition, learning, memory, and emotional responses. There is a marked impairment of hippocampus-dependent memory and suppression of long-term p...
The effect of aerobic exercises on peak expiratory flow rate and physical fitness index in female subjects
Background: A widely acknowledged fact is that people with more physical activity inclined to possess greater degree of fitness and physical activity can enhance cardiorespiratory health. Aims and Objective: To st...
Glycosylated hemoglobin as a marker of dyslipidemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in a tertiary care hospital
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the modern pandemics. Evidence has emerged supporting the benefits of glycemic control as well as control of blood pressure and lipid levels in the prevention or delay...
A study on the learning styles and learning approaches among medical students
Background: Designing of active learning strategies that promote self-directed learning, has been emphasized in the directives of undergraduate medical education by the Medical Council of India. Acknowledging the diverse...
Evaluation of association between psychological stress level during menopausal transition period and serum estrogen level among middle-aged women: A cross-sectional study
Background: Menopause is a gradual transition from reproductive to non-reproductive phase in women during which there is substantial fluctuation in estrogen or estrogen deficiency. Furthermore, women encounter various ps...