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Kamaei AK, Hosseini SF, Teimourparsaei P, Payamani M, Vaseghi S. The effect of acute crocin on behavioral changes and BDNF expression level in socially isolated rats. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2023:10.1007/s00210-023-02843-5. [PMID: 37987792 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02843-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Social isolation is a reliable method used for the induction of depression and psychiatric disorders in rodents. It has been suggested that social isolation can lead to hyperlocomotion, as a schizophrenic-like symptom in rodents. On the other hand, crocin (the major constituent of Crocus sativus) induces a wide-range of neuroprotective and mood enhancer effects. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of acute crocin on social isolation-induced behavioral changes and BDNF expression in the hippocampus. Novelty-suppressed feeding test, open field test, marble burying test, hot plate, forced swim test, and the shuttle box were used to assess anxiety-like behavior, locomotor activity, obsessive-compulsive-like (OCD-like) behavior, pain threshold, depressive-like behavior, and passive avoidance memory, respectively. Real-time PCR was used to assess BDNF hippocampal expression level. The results showed that social isolation decreased anxiety- and depressive-like behavior, pain threshold, and BDNF expression, and induced OCD-like behavior and hyperlocomotion. Crocin dose-dependently restored the effect of social isolation on pain threshold, locomotor activity, depressive-like behavior, OCD-like behavior, and BDNF expression. Passive avoidance memory performance was also unaffected. In conclusion, we showed a hyperlocomotion profile and OCD-like behaviors, and a robust decrease in pain threshold in socially isolated rats. It can be suggested that social isolation from adolescence induces a "hyperlocomotion state" that affects all the behavioral functions of rats. Also, the function of BDNF can be related to a hyperlocomotion state and OCD-like symptom. It seems that BDNF expression level can be related to the therapeutic effect of crocin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amir-Kamyar Kamaei
- Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, P.O. Box: 1419815477, Karaj, Iran
| | - Seyedeh-Fatemeh Hosseini
- Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, P.O. Box: 1419815477, Karaj, Iran
| | - Parisa Teimourparsaei
- Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, P.O. Box: 1419815477, Karaj, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Payamani
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Salar Vaseghi
- Cognitive Neuroscience Lab, Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, P.O. Box: 1419815477, Karaj, Iran.
- Medicinal Plants Research Center, Institute of Medicinal Plants, ACECR, Karaj, Iran.
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Nazari Z, Asili J. Nanoencapsulation of crocin in double-layer emulsions for improved stability and enhanced efficacy against depression. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289425. [PMID: 37796872 PMCID: PMC10553208 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
On average, depression affects 7.7% of the population aged 15 and older. One of the types of medicinal plants used to treat depression is saffron, which is uplifting and relieves sadness. Crocin as a bioactive compound is effective against depression, but it is sensitive to temperature, pH, and oxygen, and its efficiency decreases. Nanoencapsulation of crocin using double-layer emulsions is a method to increase the stability of this compound. Surfactant ratio (50% to 200%), stirrer speed (500 and 1000 rpm), and stirring time (45, 90, and 135 min) were used as variables of primary emulsion production. The optimum ratio of surfactant to aqueous phase was 100%, and in all microemulsions, viscosity increased with increasing surfactant ratio. A high-pressure homogenization method was used to make the secondary emulsion (double-layer emulsions), and soy protein concentrate (SPC), Gum Arabic (GA), and Pectin (P) at two levels of 5 and 10% were used to increase the stability. All treatments evaluated using Duncan's test at a significance level of 5%. Double-layer emulsions stabilized with pectin showed the highest viscosity and the lowest release of crocin in simulated stomach and intestine conditions. The use of the cellular automata model to investigate the release of crocin showed that this model could simulate the effects of crocin concentration, polymer concentration, and the droplet size of double-layer emulsions with 93-99% confidence to predict the release in double-layer emulsions. Then the double-layer emulsions added to the chocolate, and the chocolate containing the double-layer emulsions compared with the control sample in terms of sensory properties and had a higher score than the control sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Nazari
- Food Quality and Safety Research Group, Food Science and Technology Research Institute ACECR, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Javad Asili
- Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Seyedinia SA, Tarahomi P, Abbarin D, Sedaghat K, Rashidy-Pour A, Yaribeygi H, Vafaei AA, Raise-Abdullahi P. Saffron and crocin ameliorate prenatal valproic acid-induced autistic-like behaviors and brain oxidative stress in the male offspring rats. Metab Brain Dis 2023; 38:2231-2241. [PMID: 37566156 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-023-01275-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Autism is a neurobehavioral disease that induces cognitive and behavioral alterations, usually accompanied by oxidative stress in the brain. Crocus sativus (saffron) and its active ingredient, crocin, have potent antioxidative effects that may benefit autistic behaviors. This study aimed to determine the effects of saffron extract and crocin against brain oxidative stress and behavioral, motor, and cognitive deficits in an animal model of autism in male offspring rats. 14 female rats were randomly divided into the saline and valproic acid (VPA) groups. Then, they were placed with mature male rats to mate and produce offspring. VPA (500 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected on day 12.5 of pregnancy (gestational day, GD 12.5) to induce an experimental model of autism. 48 male pups were left undisturbed for 29 days. First-round behavioral tests (before treatments) were performed on 30-33 post-natal days (PND), followed by 28 days of treatment (PND 34-61) with saffron (30 mg/kg, IP), crocin (15 or 30 mg/kg, i.p.), or saline (2 ml/kg, i.p.). The second round of behavioral tests (after treatments) was performed on PND 62-65 to assess the effects of the treatments on behavioral and cognitive features. In the end, animals were sacrificed under deep anesthesia, and their brains were dissected to evaluate the brain oxidative stress parameters, including malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and catalase (CAT). VPA injection into female rats increased anxiety-like behaviors, enhanced pain threshold, impaired motor functions, disturbed balance power, increased MDA, and decreased GSH and CAT in their male offspring. 28 days of treatment with saffron or crocin significantly ameliorated behavioral abnormalities, reduced MDA, and increased GSH and CAT levels. Brain oxidative stress has been implicated in the pathophysiology of autistic-like behaviors. Saffron and crocin ameliorate anxiety-like behaviors, pain responses, motor functions, and brain oxidative stress parameters in an experimental model of autism. Saffron and crocin may hold promise as herbal-based pharmacological treatments for individuals with autism. However, further histological evidence is needed to confirm their efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Ali Seyedinia
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Parnia Tarahomi
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Davood Abbarin
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Katayoun Sedaghat
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Ali Rashidy-Pour
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Habib Yaribeygi
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran
| | - Abbas Ali Vafaei
- Research Center of Physiology, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
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Bjornson KJ, Vanderplow AM, Yang Y, Anderson DR, Kermath BA, Cahill ME. Stress-mediated dysregulation of the Rap1 small GTPase impairs hippocampal structure and function. iScience 2023; 26:107566. [PMID: 37664580 PMCID: PMC10470260 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of repeated stress on cognitive impairment are thought to be mediated, at least in part, by reductions in the stability of dendritic spines in brain regions critical for proper learning and memory, including the hippocampus. Small GTPases are particularly potent regulators of dendritic spine formation, stability, and morphology in hippocampal neurons. Through the use of small GTPase protein profiling in mice, we identify increased levels of synaptic Rap1 in the hippocampal CA3 region in response to escalating, intermittent stress. We then demonstrate that increased Rap1 in the CA3 is sufficient in and of itself to produce stress-relevant dendritic spine and cognitive phenotypes. Further, using super-resolution imaging, we investigate how the pattern of Rap1 trafficking to synapses likely underlies its effects on the stability of select dendritic spine subtypes. These findings illuminate the involvement of aberrant Rap1 regulation in the hippocampus in contributing to the psychobiological effects of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn J. Bjornson
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Amanda M. Vanderplow
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Yezi Yang
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Danielle R. Anderson
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Bailey A. Kermath
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
| | - Michael E. Cahill
- Department of Comparative Biosciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
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Larivee R, Johnson N, Freedgood NR, Cameron HA, Schoenfeld TJ. Inhibition of Hippocampal Neurogenesis Starting in Adolescence Increases Anxiodepressive Behaviors Amid Stress. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:940125. [PMID: 35864848 PMCID: PMC9294378 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.940125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Stressors during the adolescent period can affect development of the brain and have long-lasting impacts on behavior. Specifically, adolescent stress impairs hippocampal neurogenesis and can increase risk for anxiety, depression, and a dysregulated stress response in adulthood. In order to model the functional effects of reduced hippocampal neurogenesis during adolescence, a transgenic neurogenesis ablation rat model was used to suppress neurogenesis during the adolescent period and test anxiodepressive behaviors and stress physiology during adulthood. Wildtype and transgenic (TK) rats were given valganciclovir during the first two weeks of adolescence (4-6 weeks old) to knock down neurogenesis in TK rats. Starting in young adulthood (13 weeks old), blood was sampled for corticosterone at several time points following acute restraint stress to measure negative feedback of the stress response, and rats were tested on a battery of anxiodepressive tests at baseline and following acute restraint stress. Although TK rats had large reductions in both cell proliferation during adolescence, as measured by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), and ongoing neurogenesis in adulthood (by doublecortin), resulting in decreased volume of the dentate gyrus, negative feedback of the stress response following acute restraint was similar across all rats. Despite similar stress responses, TK rats showed higher anxiety-like behavior at baseline. In addition, only TK rats had increased depressive-like behavior when tested after acute stress. Together, these results suggest that long-term neurogenesis ablation starting in adolescence produces hippocampal atrophy and increases behavioral caution and despair amid stressful environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachelle Larivee
- Department of Psychological Science and Neuroscience, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Natalie Johnson
- Department of Psychological Science and Neuroscience, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Natalie R. Freedgood
- Section on Neuroplasticity, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Heather A. Cameron
- Section on Neuroplasticity, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Timothy J. Schoenfeld
- Department of Psychological Science and Neuroscience, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Timothy J. Schoenfeld,
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Roustazade R, Radahmadi M, Yazdani Y. Therapeutic effects of saffron extract on different memory types, anxiety, and hippocampal BDNF and TNF-α gene expressions in sub-chronically stressed rats. Nutr Neurosci 2021; 25:192-206. [PMID: 34165393 DOI: 10.1080/1028415x.2021.1943138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective: While stress reportedly impairs memory, saffron enhances it. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of saffron extract on different memory types, anxiety-like behavior, and expressions of BDNF and TNF-α genes in sub-chronically stressed rats.Methods: Rats were randomly assigned to control, restraint stress (6 h/day/7 days), two 7-days saffron treatments with 30 and 60 mg/kg, and two stress-saffron groups (30 and 60 mg/kg/7 post-stress days). Serum cortisol level and hippocampal BDNF and TNF-α gene expressions were measured. Open field, passive avoidance, novel object recognition, and object location tests were performed to assess anxiety-like behavior and avoidance as well as cognitive and spatial memories, respectively.Results: The low saffron dose in the sub-chronic stressed group led to a significant increase in passive avoidance latency from day 3 onward whereas this effect was observed after 7 days under the high-dose treatment that simultaneously led to a significant decline in serum cortisol level. While the low saffron dose led to a sharp drop in hippocampal TNF-α gene expression, the high dose significantly increased the hippocampal BDNF gene expression in the sub-chronic stress group. Finally, both saffron doses reduced anxiety in the stressed groups.Conclusion: Compared to the low saffron dose, the high dose had a latent but long-lasting impact. Cognitive and spatial memories remained unaffected by either stress or saffron treatment. In addition, only the high saffron dose reversed anxiety in the sub-chronically stressed group. These findings suggest that various doses of saffron act differently on different brain functions under sub-chronic stress conditions.Abbreviations: Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), novel object recognition task (NORT), novel object location task (NOLT), open field test (OFT), passive avoidance (PA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Roshanak Roustazade
- Medical Students' Research Center, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Maryam Radahmadi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Yeganeh Yazdani
- Medical Students' Research Center, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
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