title: Maternal administration of melatonin prevents spatial learning and memory deficits induced by developmental ethanol and lead co-exposure.
abstract: Melatonin is a radical scavenger with the ability to remove reactive oxidant species. There is report that co-exposure to lead and ethanol during developmental stages induces learning and memory deficits and oxidative stress. Here, we studied the effect of melatonin, with strong antioxidant properties, on memory deficits induced by lead and ethanol co-exposure and oxidative stress in hippocampus. Pregnant rats in lead and ethanol co-exposure group received lead acetate of 0.2% in distilled drinking water and ethanol (4g/kg) by oral gavages once daily from the 5th day of gestation until weaning. Rats received 10mg/kg melatonin by oral gavages. On postnatal days (PD) 30, rats trained with six trials per day for 6 consecutive days in the water maze. On day 37, a probe test was done and oxidative stress markers in the hippocampus were evaluated. Results demonstrated lead and ethanol co-exposed rats exhibited higher escape latency during training trials and reduced time spent in target quadrant, higher escape location latency in probe trial test and had significantly higher malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, significantly lower superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities in the hippocampus. Melatonin treatment could improve memory deficits, antioxidants activity and reduced MDA levels in the hippocampus. We conclude, co-exposure to lead and ethanol impair memory and melatonin can prevent from it by oxidative stress modulation.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran.
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Soleimani
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran. Electronic address: irangoudarzi@du.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Iran
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Goudarzi
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran.
authors.forename: Kataneh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abrari
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biology, Damghan University, Damghan, Iran.
authors.forename: Taghi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lashkarbolouki
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D000431:Ethanol / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007854:Lead / Q000633:toxicity*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018811:Maternal Exposure; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008550:Melatonin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D065853:Spatial Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D007854:Lead; D000431:Ethanol; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D008550:Melatonin
keywords: Lead and ethanol co-exposure; Melatonin; Oxidative stress; Rat; Spatial memory