Effects of resveratrol on learning and memory in rats with vascular dementia

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to study the effects of resveratrol on cognitive function in rats with vascular dementia and to investigate the molecular mechanisms of its neuroprotective effects. Forty-five SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: The control group (Con group, n=15), the model group (VD group, n=15) and the resveratrol-treated VD group (Res group, n=15). The VD rats (the VD group and the Res group) were generated by bilateral common carotid artery occlusion. The rats in the Res group received daily resveratrol treatment intraperitoneally for 4 weeks. Cognitive function was tested using the Morris water maze test. The levels of SOD and MDA (oxidative stress indicators) were detected by ELISA kits. The protein expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and caspase-3 was detected by western blotting. Compared with the rats in the Con group, the rats in the VD group exhibited decreased cognitive function, significantly increased hippocampal content of MDA, Bax and caspase-3 (P<0.05), and significantly reduced hippocampal expression of SOD and Bcl-2 (P<0.05). Compared with the rats in the VD group, the rats in the Res group exhibited increased cognitive ability, reduced hippocampal content of MDA, Bax and caspase-3 (P<0.05), and increased hippocampal expression of SOD and Bcl-2 (P<0.05). Resveratrol treatment significantly improved the spatial learning and memory of the VD rats. The mechanism associated with the neuroprotective effects of resveratrol may be closely related to the inhibition of the apoptosis pathway and oxidative stress injury.

Resveratrol Derivatives as Potential Treatments for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease

“…In lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) from AD patients, RV increased the expression of genes encoding known antioxidants defenses (CAT, copper chaperone for SOD 1, GST zeta 1) and anti-aging factor sirtuin-1 (SIRT-1; Cosín-Tomàs et al, 2019). These results are corroborated by Zhang et al (2019), which showed that RV improves learning and memory in rats submitted to a vascular dementia model, probably due to its antioxidant actions, represented by increased protein expression of SOD and a decreased hippocampal content of malondialdehyde (MDA).…”

Neuroprotective effects of clavulanic acid following permanent bilateral common carotid artery occlusion in rats

“…An elevated bax to bcl‐2 occurs during apoptotic process after nerve injury (Amin, Taheri, & Hosseinzadeh, ). Cerebral hypoperfusion impairs mitochondria function which results in the increased oxidative stress due to the production of reactive oxygen species, impaired bax/bcl2 ratio and eventually, in a vicious cycle, oxidative stress leads to more reduction of blood flow (Zhang, Sun, & Yu, ). In our study, chronic cerebral hypoperfusion elicited by 2VO produced apoptotic cell death in the neocortex and hippocampus, through increased level of bax/bcl2 ratio.…”

Pharmacological Treatment of Vascular Dementia: A Molecular Mechanism Perspective

“…Administration of ReA [ 122 ], ligustilide [ 127 ], osthole [ 128 ], and SLT [ 42 ] has been reported to prevent caspase-3 activation and reverse the loss of hippocampal neurons, as well as the cognitive deficits, induced by CCH. In addition to inhibiting oxidative stress and AchE activity, the natural drug resveratrol (mentioned above), can also suppress neuronal apoptosis by reducing apoptotic proteins, such as caspase-3, in the hippocampus of VaD rats, thereby relieving the symptoms of VaD [ 129 ]. These results indicate that anti-apoptotic effects mediated by the suppression of caspase-3 activation might contribute to improvements in cognitive function in VaD.…”

“…Immunohistochemical results demonstrate that Bax expression is remarkably increased, and Bcl-2 expression is decreased, in VaD rats, resulting in a high Bax/Bcl-2 ratio [ 45 , 126 ]. The administration of ICCB [ 45 ], osthole [ 128 ], PNC [ 61 ], Panax ginseng [ 132 ], total harmaline alkaloid extract [ 133 ], and SLT [ 42 ] reduces the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and exerts anti-apoptotic properties in the brain of VaD rats, alleviating the cognitive deficits. Based on the above research, the Chinese medicinal formula, SLT, can improve VaD symptoms via multiple mechanisms, including oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and neuronal apoptosis.…”