ABSTRACT
Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a multi-factorial type of dementia that poses a social and medical burden in that no effective treatment has been achieved yet. Impaired brain glucose metabolism is one of the major pathophysiological factors linked to its onset and progression. Lauric acid (LA) is a triglyceride with medium chain that can produce ketone body utilize by the brain as an alternative energy source.
Objective: Therefore, the present study was carried out with the purpose of evaluating the effect of LA on cognitive impairments in scopolamine-induced AD-like rat model.
Methods: Forty-two male Wistar rats were divided into six groups to receive normal saline, scopolamine, scopolamine with Donepezil, and scopolamine with varied doses of LA for a period of 21 days. Morris water maze (MWM) and Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) tests were performed to evaluate cognitive performance. After, brains were harvested and processed to assay for the level of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Histological analyses using Haematoxylin and eosin staining was also performed.
Results: The LA-treated groups demonstrated memory retention in the MWM and EPM tests, and showed increased levels of CAT, SOD, and GSH similar to the Donepezil group, in contrast to the scopolamine only group while MDA levels, IL-6, and AChE activity were reduced in the LA treated groups contrasted to scopolamine only group. LA reduces oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and AChE activity, which indicates a possible ability of LA to protect against AD.
GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Data availability statement
The data supporting the findings of this study are publicly accessible on Zenodo at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15120208
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Notes on contributors
Fajemidagba Grace Ayobami
Fajemidagba Grace Ayobami is a certified physiologist and neuroscience researcher with a strong interest in brain and mental health. Her research focuses on neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson's disease, and explores the therapeutic potential of dietary interventions, nutraceuticals, and phytomedicines. She is passionate about integrating nutritional strategies into neuroscience to advance drug discovery and improve neurological outcomes.
Oluwadare Joshua Ogundipe
Oluwadare Joshua Ogundipe is a certified physiologist and researcher with a strong interest in chemical toxicology and nutritherapeutics. His research focuses on the interplay between nutrition and metabolic functions with particular attention to renal and brain disorders, oxidative stress, and metabolic regulation. He is passionate about exploring dietary interventions and bioactive compounds for the prevention and management of diseases.
Ajibade Adewale Emmanuel
Ajibade Adewale Emmanuel is a researcher with a strong interest in neurotoxicology, neurodevelopment, reproductive health, and nutritherapeutics. His work focuses on understanding the impact of dietary and environmental factors on brain development and function. He is particularly interested in exploring the role of nutrition in neuroprotection, the modulation of neurotransmission, and the prevention of neurodegenerative disorders. His research also extends to the identification of dietary agents with therapeutic potential in the context of brain health and cognitive function.
Idowu Olumayowa Kolawole
Idowu Olumayowa Kolawole is a neuroscience researcher specializing in the molecular mechanisms underlying neurodegenerative diseases, with a focus on mitochondrial dysfunction and protein aggregation. His research explores how disruptions in these pathways contribute to disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, alpha synucleinopathies, and motor system degeneration. He is particularly interested in the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in disease progression and investigates nutraceutical interventions that may modulate these pathological processes. His work integrates histopathological, biochemical, and molecular approaches to uncover mechanisms of onset and progression, aiming to inform the development of evidence-based nutritherapeutic strategies. Through this research, he seeks to advance novel adjunctive therapies that could prevent or slow neurodegeneration.
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