Reversion of age-related recognition memory impairment by iron chelation in rats.
It is now generally accepted that iron accumulates in the brain during the ageing process. Increasing evidence demonstrate that iron accumulation in selective regions of the brain may generate free radicals, thereby possessing implications for the etiology of neurodegenerative disorders. In a previous study we have reported that aged rats present recognition memory deficits. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of desferoxamine (DFO), an iron chelator agent, on age-induced memory impairment. Aged Wistar rats received intraperitoneal injections of saline or DFO (300mg/kg) for 2 weeks. The animals were submitted to a novel object recognition task 24h after the last injection. DFO-treated rats showed normal recognition memory while the saline group showed long-term recognition memory deficits. The results show that DFO is able to reverse age-induced recognition memory deficits. We also demonstrated that DFO reduced the oxidative damage to proteins in cortex and hippocampus. Thus, the present findings provide the first evidence that iron chelators might prevent age-related memory dysfunction.
de Lima
Maria Noêmia Martins
MN
Neurobiology and Developmental Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Dias
Caroline Pietá
CP
Torres
Juliana Presti
JP
Dornelles
Arethuza
A
Garcia
Vanessa Athaíde
VA
Scalco
Felipe Siciliani
FS
Guimarães
Marcelo Rewsaat
MR
Petry
Roberta Cristina
RC
Bromberg
Elke
E
Constantino
Larissa
L
Budni
Patricia
P
Dal-Pizzol
Felipe
F
Schröder
Nadja
N
D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*; D017262:Siderophores / Q000008:administration & dosage
D017262:Siderophores; D007501:Iron; D003676:Deferoxamine