Pretreatment with crocin along with treadmill exercise ameliorates memory deficits in hemiparkinsonian rats by antioxidant mechanisms

Background and Aim: The motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD) are preceded by non-motor symptoms including memory deficits. Treatment with dopamine replacement medications, such as L-DOPA only control motor symptoms and does not meet the clinical challenges of the disease, such as dyskinesia, non-motor symptoms, and neuroprotection. Methods: Male Wistar rats ran on a horizontal treadmill and/or pretreated with crocin at a dose of ۱۰۰ mg/kg. Then, ۱۶ μg of the neurotoxin ۶-hydroxydopamine (۶-OHDA) was microinjected into left medial forebrain bundle. Crocin treatment and/or exercise continued for ۶ more weeks. Spatial and aversive memories, oxidative stress parameters were assessed at the end of week ۶ post surgery. Results: The purpose of the current study was to examine the neuroprotective potential of crocin and physical exercise in an animal model of PD. Conclusion: The results showed that pretreatment with crocin alone and in combination with exercise. Furthermore, treatment of parkinsonian rats with crocin along with exercise training improved aversive and spatial memories. Treatment with crocin at a dose of ۱۰۰ mg/kg decreased the lipid peroxidation levels in the hippocampus, while exercise training increased the total thiol concentration. In conclusion, our findings indicated that pretreatment with crocin along with treadmill exercise ameliorated memory deficits induced by ۶-OHDA, which is considered to be due to their antioxidant activities. The results suggest that combined therapy with crocin and exercise may be protective for memory deficits in PD patients.

کلیدواژه ها:

Crocin ، Memory ، Treadmill exercise ، Oxidative stress ، Parkinson's disease