title: Vitamin D Improves Learning and Memory Impairment in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with memory and learning deficits. Evidence has been provided that vitamin D is involved in brain function. The aim of the present study was to determine the potential effect of vitamin D on acquisition and retention of memory and learning in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experiments were performed in four groups of mice (each group; n = 7). Male mice were induced to diabetes by single dose (60 mg/kg, i.p.) injection of freshly prepared STZ dissolved in cold normal saline. Treatment with vitamin D (5µg/kg daily, i.p. dissolved in tween80) was begun at three days after diabetes induction. Passive avoidance (PA) learning method was used four weeks later. Retrieval test was carried out 24 h after training.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results demonstrate significant impairment in acquisition and retrieval processes of PA learning in STZ- induced diabetic mice. Treatment with vitamin D improved learning and memory compared to the control group, both in acquisition and retrieval stages and reversed learning deficits in diabetic mice. In acquisition test, there were significant differences in the initial latency among the DM+Vit. D treated and control groups (P < 0.05). There was a significant difference in step-through latency between diabetic group treated with vitamin D compared to diabetic non-treated groups (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible that the effects of Vitamin D on cognitive deficits in STZ-induced diabetic mice could be mediated through calcium homeostasis modulation. These findings suggest a potential role for vitamin D in the treatment of diabetes-associated cognition deficits. The positive effect of vitamin D on the avoidance task may be attributed to its neuronal protective roles metabolic regulating roles of prolonged vitamin D administration.
authors.affiliation: 1)Neuroscience Research Center of Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. 2)Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Akbar
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Moghadamnia
authors.affiliation: Student Research committee of Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Saeid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hakiminia
authors.affiliation: 1)Neuroscience Research Center of Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. 2)Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baradaran
authors.affiliation: 1)Neuroscience Research Center of Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. 2)Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.
authors.forename: Sohrab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.affiliation: 1)Neuroscience Research Center of Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. 4)Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran. mnrashrafpour@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Manouchehr
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ashrafpour
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D013311:Streptozocin; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D014807:Vitamin D; D013311:Streptozocin