Behavioral reactions and cognitive functions in rats with vascular model of alzheimer's type dementia at different stages of disease before and after stem cell correction

Abstract

The recent investigations offer to conduct the study of Alzheimer disease (AD) mechanisms using diverse experimental models. However, behavioral and cognitive impairment in rats at the different stages of vascular model of dementia of Alzheimer's type developed by us has not been investigated. Subjects and methods. The experiment was performed on 32 male WAG rats weighing 180–250 g which were divided into 4 groups. Rats from group 1 and 3 were injected aqueous solution of sodium nitrite at a dose of 50 mg/kg of body mass intraperitoneally during 14 and 28 days respectively. Groups 2 and 4 received 500,000 mesenchymal stem cells in suspension intravenously against a background of experimental nitrite-induced AD. To estimate the behavioral reactions and cognitive functions the Open Field Test (OFT) and Passive Avoidance test (PAT) were used. Results. In all experimental groups in most cases significant decrease in vertical and horizontal activity (p <0.05) and an increase in the number of defecation in the OFT were found. Rats from group 3 had the drop in locomotor, research and orientation activity. In the OFT and PAT in groups 2, 4 improvement in research activity and significant cognitive functions recovery was observed (p=0.012) after stem cell correction. Conclusion. Progression of the protective inhibition and cognitive impairment was found during the experiment. Stem cell administration had positive effects on brain function recovery.