Protective Effects of Spirulina platensis, Voluntary Exercise and Environmental Interventions Against Adolescent Stress-Induced Anxiety and Depressive-Like Symptoms, Oxidative Stress and Alterations of BDNF and 5HT-3 Receptors of the Prefrontal Cortex in Female Rats

Moderate aerobic training counterbalances the deleterious effect of undernutrition on oxidative balance and mitochondrial markers

The state of Maternal Protein Malnutrition (MPM) is associated with several deleterious effects, including inflammatory processes and dysregulation in oxidative balance, which can promote neurodegeneration. On the other hand, it is known that aerobic exercise can promote systemic health benefits, combating numerous chronic diseases. Therefore, we evaluate the effect of aerobic exercise training (AET) on indicators of mitochondrial bioenergetics, oxidative balance, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and neurotrophic factor in the prefrontal cortex of malnourished juvenile Wistar rats. Pregnant Wistar rats were fed with a diet containing 17% or 8% casein during pregnancy and lactation. At 30 days of life, male offspring were divided into 4 groups: Low-Protein Control (LS), Low-Protein Trained (LT), Normoprotein Control (NS), and Normoprotein Trained (NT). The trained groups performed an AET for 4 weeks, 5 days a week, 1 h a day per session. At 60 days of life, the animals were sacrificed and the skeletal muscle, and prefrontal cortex (PFC) were removed to evaluate the oxidative metabolism markers and gene expression of ATF-6, GRP78, PERK and BDNF. Our results showed that MPM impairs oxidative metabolism associated with higher oxidative and reticulum stress. However, AET restored the levels of indicators of mitochondrial bioenergetics, in addition to promoting resilience to cellular stress. AET at moderate intensity for 4 weeks in young Wistar rats can act as a non-pharmacological intervention in fighting against the deleterious effects of a protein-restricted maternal diet.

Role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Anxiety or Depression After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Anxiety or depression after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is one of the key clinical problems in cardiology that need to be solved urgently. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) may be a potential biomarker for the pathogenesis and treatment of anxiety or depression after PCI. This article reviews the correlation between BDNF and cardiovascular system and nervous system from the aspects of synthesis, release and action site of BDNF, and focuses on the latest research progress of the mechanism of BDNF in anxiety or depression after PCI. It includes the specific mechanisms by which BDNF regulates the levels of inflammatory factors, reduces oxidative stress damage, and mediates multiple signaling pathways. In addition, this review summarizes the therapeutic potential of BDNF as a potential biomarker for anxiety or depression after PCI.

Marine natural products: potential agents for depression treatment

Depression is a common psychiatric disorder. Due to the disadvantages of current clinical drugs, including poor efficacy and unnecessary side effects, research has shifted to novel natural products with minimal or no adverse effects as therapeutic alternatives. The ocean is a vast ecological home, with a wide variety of organisms that can produce a large number of natural products with unique structures, some of which have neuroprotective effects and are a valuable source for the development of new drugs for depression. In this review, we analyzed preclinical and clinical studies of natural products derived from marine organisms with antidepressant potential, including the effects on the pathophysiology of depression, and the underlying mechanisms of these effects. It is expected to provide a reference for the development of new antidepressant drugs.

The effects of Spirulina platensis on behavior in adolescent rats fed a high-fat diet

In recent years, childhood overweight and obesity have become a universal public health problem. Obesity may lead to cognitive disorders, depression and anxiety by affecting neuronal processes. Spirulina platensis (SP), a species of microalgae from the Chlorophyceae green algae class, has neuroprotective effects and may reduce body weight. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of SP on behavior alongside the role of leptin and Sirtuin-1 in fed with high-fat diet (HFD) adolescent rats. Four-week-old Sprague Dawley male rats were divided into four groups: control, HFD, HFD + SP150 (150 mg/kg/day SP, orally), HFD + SP450 (450 mg/kg/day SP, orally). Rats except for the control group exposed to 60% HFD along 12 weeks. Last 6 weeks SP or vehicle administered. After the behavioral tests, leptin and Sirtuin-1 levels in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus regions were evaluated. SP150 significantly reduced body weight compared with HFD group. The time spent in the center of open field increased significantly in SP150-treated rats compared with HFD. SP150 and SP450 significantly decreased immobility time in forced swim test compared with HFD. Leptin levels in HFD group were significantly lower in prefrontal cortex compared to control group. Leptin levels of the HFD + SP450 group were significantly higher than HFD group in the hippocampus. There was no significant difference between groups in Sirtuin-1 levels. In conclusion, SP supplementation in adolescence period might positively affect chronic high fat-induced anxiety-like and depressive-like behavior by partially affecting brain leptin levels and without affecting Sirtuin-1 levels.

Berberine improves inhibitory avoidance memory impairment of Toxoplasma gondii-infected rat model of ketamine-induced schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Memory impairment caused by Toxoplasma gondii infection has been documented. Berberine (BRB) is well known for its enhancing effects on memory and has shown promising results. However, the impact of BRB on T. gondii infection and schizophrenia-induced consolidation and reconsolidation memory impairment is still unclear. Here; we examined the effect of BRB on the inhibitory avoidance (IA) memory consolidation and reconsolidation impairment induced by T. gondii infection, and ketamine (Ket) as a pharmacological model of schizophrenia. Also; the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus were analyzed.

METHODS

Rats were infected with T. gondii RH strain or received Ket (30 mg/kg/day) intraperitoneally (i.p) for at least five consecutive days (as the model of schizophrenia). Then followed by oral administration with BRB (25 mg/kg/day) for five days. Finally, the IA memory retention test was examined 48 post-conditioning, and BDNF was measured.

RESULTS

Results indicated IA memory impairment in T. gondii-infected animals since lower step-through latency (STL) was observed than in control animals. We found significant (P = 0.01, P = 0.001) elevations in STL and a significant decrease (P = 0.001) in total time spent in the dark area following BRB administration in infected and Ket-treated rats, indicating improvement (increased STL) in consolidation and reconsolidation memory. Moreover, BDNF levels were reduced (P = 0.01) in the hippocampus and mPFC regions of both T. gondii- infected and Ket-induced groups, which remarkably enhanced after BRB treatment. Furthermore; we found that BRB administration notably increased the mPFC BDNF levels in mPFC (P < 0.01) and hippocampus (P = 0.001) in the Ket-treated and rats infected with T. gondii.

CONCLUSION

Taken together; BRB may be a valuable preclinical treatment for improving memory impairment through BDNF expression in PFC and hippocampus, therefore; BRB is suggested for memory disturbances induced by T. gondii infection.

Investigation of the Neuroprotective Action of Japanese Sake Yeast on Dementia Type of Alzheimer Disease in Rats: Behavioral and Neurobiochemical Assessment

Dementia involves several factors, and it is required to administer an agent with several efficiencies for its treatment. Sake is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and improves the serum concentration of BDNF. This study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective action of Japanese sake yeast on dementia of the Alzheimer disease type in rats by behavioral evaluation and neurobiochemical assessment. The rats were grouped as non-Alzheimer rats (control rats) and Alzheimer rats administrated with 0 (AD), 10 (10-AD), 20 (20-AD), 30 (30-AD), and 40 mg/kg (40-AD) of sake. Anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors, the concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), malondialdehyde (MDA), and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) were evaluated. The expressions of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 were assessed. The results showed that Alzheimer disease caused anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors (p = 0.000), decreased the concentrations of BDNF (p = 0.000) and FRAP (p = 0.000), increased the concentration of MDA (p = 0.000), and increased the expressions of IL-1β (p = 0.000), TNF-α (p = 0.000), and IL-6 (p = 0.000). The results showed that oral gavage of sake in higher doses decreased anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors (p = 0.000), increased the concentrations of BDNF (p = 0.000) and FRAP (p = 0.000), and reduced the concentration of MDA (p = 0.000) and the expressions of IL-1β (p = 0.000), TNF-α (p = 0.000), and IL-6 (p = 0.000). In sum, Japanese sake yeast can have roles in treating dementia of the Alzheimer disease type, but its mechanisms must be assessed in future studies.

Prophylactic administration of rosmarinic acid ameliorates depression-associated cardiac abnormalities in Wistar rats: Evidence of serotonergic, oxidative, and inflammatory pathways

Psychiatric disorders and associated cardiac comorbidities have increased the risk of mortality worldwide. Researchers reported that depression increases the possibility of future cardiac abnormalities by approximately 30%. Therefore, there is an unmet need to develop therapeutic interventions to treat depression and associated cardiac abnormalities. The present study was conducted to evaluate the prophylactic effect of rosmarinic acid (RA) against chronic unpredictable stress (CUS)-induced depression associated cardiac abnormalities in Wistar rats. The CUS paradigm, which comprised several stressors, was employed for 40 days to induce depressive-like behavior and associated cardiac abnormalities in rats. Along with CUS, RA at a dose of 25 and 50 mg/kg was administered orally to two groups of animals for 40 days. Behavioral tests (forced swim test and sucrose consumption test) and molecular biomarkers (corticosterone and serotonin) were performed. Electrocardiography was performed before CUS (Day 0), Day 20, and Day 40 to study electrocardiogram parameters. Furthermore, changes in body weight, organ weight, tissue lipid peroxidation, glutathione, catalase, cTn-I, MMP-2, and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) were estimated. Our results showed that RA treatment caused a reduction in immobility period, adrenal hyperplasia, corticosterone level, tissue lipid peroxidation, cTn-I, MMP-2, proinflammatory cytokines, and QRS complex duration, while an increase in sucrose consumption, brain serotonin level, T-wave width, glutathione, and catalase activity as compared with the CUS-control group. The results of our study proved that RA administration ameliorates CUS-induced depression-associated cardiac abnormalities in rats via serotonergic, oxidative, and inflammatory pathways.

Olfactory loss is a predisposing factor for depression, while olfactory enrichment is an effective treatment for depression

The loss of olfactory stimulation correlates well with at least 68 widely differing neurological disorders, including depression, and we raise the possibility that this relationship may be causal. That is, it seems possible that olfactory loss makes the brain vulnerable to expressing the symptoms of these neurological disorders, while daily olfactory enrichment may decrease the risk of expressing these symptoms. This situation resembles the cognitive reserve that is thought to protect people with Alzheimer’s neuropathology from expressing the functional deficit in memory through the cumulative effect of intellectual stimulation. These relationships also resemble the functional response of animal models of human neurological disorders to environmental enrichment, wherein the animals continue to have the induced neuropathology, but do not express the symptoms as they do in a standard environment with restricted sensorimotor stimulation.

The effects of resistance training and spirulina on the performance of the antioxidant system with emphasis on mir125b, mir146a and cognitive function in stanazolol-induced neurotoxicity in rats

Abuse of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) is associated with neurological and cognitive problems in athletes. The Purpose of this study was to investigate the simultaneous effect of resistance training (RT) and spirulina supplementation (Sp) on the function of the antioxidant system with emphasis on mir125b, mir146a and cognitive function in Stanazolol (S)-induced neurotoxicity in rats. This experimental animal model study was performed with a post-test design with a control group. 45 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into six groups of 9 animals including (Althobaiti et al., 2022) [1]: sham (Sh/normal saline intake) (Havnes et al., 2019) [2], 25 mg/kg/wk of stanazolol (S) (Albano et al., 2021) [3], S + 100 mg/kg of Sp + (S + Sp) (Bjørnebekk et al., 2021) [4], RT (six weeks with an intensity of 50-100% of body weight) + S (S + RT) (Kanayama et al., 2013) [5] S + Sp + RT. Levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), percentage of healthy cells in the C1 and C3 regions of hippocampus, miR125b, miR146a, step-through latency (STL), time spent in dark compartment (TDC), repeated entry in dark compartment (RDC) and percentage of alternation (PA%) were measured in the post-test. Results showed that the Sp, RT and SP + RT increased levels of SOD, GPx and percentage of healthy cells in C1 region, decreased MDA, mir125b, mir146a in hippocampal tissue and decreased TDC levels in S-exposed rats (P ≤ 0.05). Sp + RT decreased RDC and increased SOD levels; on the other hand, RT decreased RDC levels in S-exposed rats (P ≤ 0.05). Levels of TAC in the Sp groups were significantly higher than the S group (P ≤ 0.05). Also, the effect of Sp + RT in reducing miR125b, miR146a, and STL levels was much higher than the effect of Sp and RT alone (P ≤ 0.05). It seems that applying resistance training and spirulina supplementation both separately and interactively is effective in improving the antioxidant system as well as memory and learning in cognitive impairment caused by stanazolol. However, more studies on microRNAs are needed.

Molecular Biomarkers for Pediatric Depressive Disorders: A Narrative Review

Depressive disorder in childhood and adolescence is a highly prevalent mood disorder that tends to recur throughout life. Untreated mood disorders can adversely impact a patient’s quality of life and cause socioeconomic loss. Thus, an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment is crucial. However, until now, diagnoses and treatments were conducted according to clinical symptoms. Objective and biological validation is lacking. This may result in a poor outcome for patients with depressive disorder. Research has been conducted to identify the biomarkers that are related to depressive disorder. Cumulative evidence has revealed that certain immunologic biomarkers including brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cytokines, gastrointestinal biomarkers, hormones, oxidative stress, and certain hypothalamus-pituitary axis biomarkers are associated with depressive disorder. This article reviews the biomarkers related to the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric depressive disorders. To date, clinical biomarker tests are not yet available for diagnosis or for the prediction of treatment prognosis. However, cytokines such as Interleukin-2, interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and BDNF have shown significant results in previous studies of pediatric depressive disorder. These biomarkers have the potential to be used for diagnosis, prognostic assessment, and group screening for those at high risk.

Combined effects of royal jelly and environmental enrichment against stress-induced cognitive and behavioral alterations in male rats: behavioral and molecular studies

BACKGROUND

Exposure to chronic stress has detrimental effects on cognitive and emotional processing. Also, the neuroprotective influences of environmental enrichment (EE) and royal jelly (RJ) have been indicated in previous studies.

AIMS

To our knowledge, to date, there are no studies about the synergistic effects of EE and RJ on cognitive changes induced by stress. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the protective effects of RJ, and EE on anxiety-like behaviors, cognitive functions, and expression of hippocampal and also prefrontal cortex (PFC) brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in stressed rats.

METHODS

By using restraint and cold temperature, rats were exposed to stressful situations and then subjected to treatment with RJ or/ and EE for 14 days. Stress induction was done 14 days before treatments by placing the rats in the restrainer under 4°C. Following the interventions, anxiety-like behaviors, novel object recognition memory (NORM), inhibitive avoidance performance, hippocampal, and PFC BDNF expression were examined. The plasma corticosterone level of all groups was also evaluated.

RESULTS

Results showed increased plasma corticosterone levels, stress-induced deficits in the NORM and IA tests, and increased anxiety-like behaviors. EE and RJ improved these deficits with a decline in serum corticosterone and also increased BDNF levels in the hippocampus and PFC in stressed ones.

CONCLUSION

The EE and the RJ prevented the detrimental effects of stress on anxiety-like behaviors and memory processes. These treatments can protect susceptible brain areas against chronic stress via improvement in behavioral and cognitive impairments through mediating BDNF expression.

Auraptene exerts protective effects on maternal separation stress-induced changes in behavior, hippocampus, heart and serum of mice

Early life stress is associated with various complications. Auraptene has significant antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aimed to assess the probable underlying mechanisms that mediate changes in the behavior, hippocampus, heart and serum in the mouse model of maternal separation (MS) stress. We evaluated the possible protective effects of auraptene in these changes focusing on inflammatory response and oxidative state. Mice were treated with auraptene (5, 10, and 50 mg/kg). In addition, anxiety-like behaviors were evaluated using behavioral tests; including open field test (OFT) and elevated plus maze (EPM). Hippocampus and heart samples were assessed histopathologically. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant capacity, as well as nitrite levels, were measured in serum, heart, and hippocampal tissues. Moreover, gene expression of inflammatory markers (Il-1β and Tlr-4) was evaluated in the heart and hippocampus. Results showed that auraptene reversed the negative effects of MS on behavior (increased time spent in central zone of the OFT and time and entries to the open arms of the EPM). Auraptene mitigated adverse effects of MS on the hippocampus (increased diameter and decreased percentage of dark neurons in the CA3 area). Accordingly, auraptene decreased MDA and nitrite levels and increased the antioxidant capacity in serum, and hippocampal samples. However, we observed different effects for different doses of auraptene in the heart samples. We concluded that MS is associated with anxiety-like behavior and cellular/molecular modifications in the heart, hippocampus and serum. We found that auraptene exerted protective effects against these negative effects of MS in mouse.