title: Chronic Effect of Aspartame on Ionic Homeostasis and Monoamine Neurotransmitters in the Rat Brain.
abstract: Aspartame is one of the most widely used artificial sweeteners globally. Data concerning acute neurotoxicity of aspartame is controversial, and knowledge on its chronic effect is limited. In the current study, we investigated the chronic effects of aspartame on ionic homeostasis and regional monoamine neurotransmitter concentrations in the brain. Our results showed that aspartame at high dose caused a disturbance in ionic homeostasis and induced apoptosis in the brain. We also investigated the effects of aspartame on brain regional monoamine synthesis, and the results revealed that there was a significant decrease of dopamine in corpus striatum and cerebral cortex and of serotonin in corpus striatum. Moreover, aspartame treatment significantly alters the tyrosine hydroxylase activity and amino acids levels in the brain. Our data suggest that chronic use of aspartame may affect electrolyte homeostasis and monoamine neurotransmitter synthesis dose dependently, and this might have a possible effect on cognitive functions.
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abhilash
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Manju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alex
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Varghese V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Mathews
authors.affiliation: School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India harinair@mgu.ac.in.
authors.forename: R Harikumaran
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Nair
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001218:Aspartame / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D020258:Neurotoxicity Syndromes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D064306:Non-Nutritive Sweeteners / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D036401:Toxicity Tests, Chronic; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000819:agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000201:enzymology / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064306:Non-Nutritive Sweeteners; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D014443:Tyrosine; D010649:Phenylalanine; D014364:Tryptophan; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D000254:Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase; D001218:Aspartame
keywords: Na+-K+-ATPase; apoptosis; aspartame; monoamines; phenylalanine