A study on neuroinflammatory marker in brain areas of okadaic acid (ICV) induced memory impaired rats

Aims: The aim of the present study is to investigate the status of proinflammatory cytokine in the brain of intracerebroventricular (ICV) okadaic acid (OKA) induced memory impaired rat. Main methods: OKA (200 ng) intracerebroventricular (ICV) was administered in rats. Memory was assessed by Morris water maze test. Biochemical marker of neuroinflammation (TNF-alpha, IL-beta) total nitrite, mRNA (RT PCR) and protein expression (WB) of iNOS and nNOS were estimated in rat brain areas. Key findings: OKA caused memory-impairment in rats with increased expression of proinflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha and IL-beta and total nitrite in brain regions hippocampus and cortex. The expression of mRNA and protein of iNOS was increased while; the expressions were decreased in case of nNOS. Pretreatment with antidementic drugs donepezil (5 mg/kg, p.o.) and memantine (10 mg/kg, p.o) for 13 days protected ICV OKA induced memory impairment and changes in level of TNF-alpha, IL-beta, total nitrite and expressions of iNOS and nNOS in OKA treated rat. Significance: This study suggests that neuroinflammation may play a vital role in OKA induced memory impairment. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.