| خلاصه مقاله | This study aimed to investigate the effects of ghrelin, as a neuroprotective agent, on cognitive impairment
and apoptosis pathway in methamphetamine-treated male rats. Sixty adult male Wistar rats were
randomly divided into six groups (n=10): Saline/Saline (S-S), Saline/Ghrelin (S-G),
Methamphetamine/Simultaneous Saline (M-SS), Methamphetamine/Simultaneous Ghrelin (M-SG),
Methamphetamine/Delayed Saline (M-DS), and Methamphetamine/Delayed ghrelin (M-DG).
Methamphetamine (5 mg/kg) and ghrelin (5 nM/kg) were injected intraperitoneally. Spatial and passive
avoidance memories were evaluated by Morris water maze (MWM) and Shuttle box, respectively.
Hippocampal expression levels of Cytochrome-C, Caspase 3, and Bax/Bcl-2 ratio were evaluated by
Western blotting. TUNEL assay was performed to detect hippocampal neuronal apoptosis. Our results
showed that time spent in the target quadrant in M-SS group was less than the control group. However,
simultaneous ghrelin treatment could increase it. Ghrelin treatment reversed methamphetamine effects
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on hippocampal protein expression of Caspase 3 and Cytochrome-C, and BAX/Bcl-2 ratio. TUNEL assay
showed an increase in the number of apoptotic cells in methamphetamine-treated animals, while ghrelin
treatment decreased apoptosis. These results indicate that ghrelin treatment could improve spatial
memory and reduce neuronal apoptosis in the hippocampus of methamphetamine-treated animals.
Keywords: Methamphetamine; Ghrelin; Memory; Apoptosis; Hippocampus |