title: Curcumin Improves Amyloid β-Peptide (1-42) Induced Spatial Memory Deficits through BDNF-ERK Signaling Pathway.
abstract: Curcumin, the most active component of turmeric, has various beneficial properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor effects. Previous studies have suggested that curcumin reduces the levels of amyloid and oxidized proteins and prevents memory deficits and thus is beneficial to patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying curcumin's effect on cognitive functions are not well-understood. In the present study, we examined the working memory and spatial reference memory in rats that received a ventricular injection of amyloid-β1-42 (Aβ1-42), representing a rodent model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The rats treated with Aβ1-42 exhibited obvious cognitive deficits in behavioral tasks. Chronic (seven consecutive days, once per day) but not acute (once a day) curcumin treatments (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) improved the cognitive functions in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the beneficial effect of curcumin is accompanied by increased BDNF levels and elevated levels of phosphorylated ERK in the hippocampus. Furthermore, the cognition enhancement effect of curcumin could be mimicked by the overexpression of BDNF in the hippocampus and blocked by either bilateral hippocampal injections with lentiviruses that express BDNF shRNA or a microinjection of ERK inhibitor. These findings suggest that chronic curcumin ameliorates AD-related cognitive deficits and that upregulated BDNF-ERK signaling in the hippocampus may underlie the cognitive improvement produced by curcumin.
authors.affiliation: Key-Disciplines Laboratory Clinical-Medicine of Henan, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key-Disciplines Laboratory Clinical-Medicine of Henan, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Department of Intensive Care Unit, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Key-Disciplines Laboratory Clinical-Medicine of Henan, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China; Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Yuming
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Yajun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lian
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Nanchang
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Tianwen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Haifeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Unit, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Limin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Unit, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Ruifang
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care Unit, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhenhua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D065852:Spatial Memory / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C075222:amyloid beta-protein (1-42); D003474:Curcumin