title: Chronic α-Tocopherol Increases Central Monoamines Synthesis and Improves Cognitive and Motor Abilities in Old Rats.
abstract: Limiting enzymes in the synthesis of brain monoamines seems to be susceptible to oxidative damage, one of the most important factors in aging. It has been suggested that the use of anti-oxidants can reduce the rate of free radical production related with aging and the associated damage. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the effects of the chronic treatments with the anti-oxidant α-tocopherol (vitamin E) on central monoamines (high-performance liquid chromatography [HPLC] analysis) mediating cognitive functions, as well as on the evaluation of memory and motor abilities in old rats measured by radial maze, Barnes maze, novel object recognition test, and rotarod test. Results show that α-tocopherol significantly increased in a dose- and/or time-dependent manner the synthesis rate and the levels of monoaminergic neurotransmitters (serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline) in the hippocampus and striatum, brain regions involved in memory processing and motor coordination. These positive neurochemical effects, largely due to an increased activity of the limiting enzymes in monoamines synthesis, tryptophan hydroxylase and tyrosine hydroxylase, were accompanied by an improvement in cognitive and motor abilities in old rats. Altogether these findings suggest that α-tocopherol exhibits neuroprotective actions in old rats; thus, diets with α-tocopherol might represent a promising strategy to mitigate or delay the cognitive and motor decline associate with aging and related-diseases.
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Departamento de Biología, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) , Palma de Mallorca, Spain .
authors.forename: Margarita R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ramis
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Departamento de Biología, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) , Palma de Mallorca, Spain .
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sarubbo
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Departamento de Biología, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) , Palma de Mallorca, Spain .
authors.forename: Juan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Terrasa
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Departamento de Biología, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) , Palma de Mallorca, Spain .|2 Laboratorio de Infección e Inmunidad, Fundación de Investigación Sanitaria de las Islas Baleares (FISIB)-Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Palma (IdISPa), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Hospital Joan March , Mallorca, Spain .
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moranta
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Departamento de Biología, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) , Palma de Mallorca, Spain .
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aparicio
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Departamento de Biología, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) , Palma de Mallorca, Spain .
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miralles
authors.affiliation: 1 Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Departamento de Biología, Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) , Palma de Mallorca, Spain .
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Esteban
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects*; D000818:Animals; D015306:Biogenic Monoamines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects*; D004298:Dopamine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D065852:Spatial Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015306:Biogenic Monoamines; D012701:Serotonin; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine