Curcumin ameliorates scopolamine-induced mice memory retrieval deficit and restores hippocampal p-Akt and p-GSK-3 β.

This study was conducted to assess if curcumin prevents retrieval deficit induced by scopolamine in passive avoidance task. Moreover, according to the proposed link between cholinergic system and Akt/GSK-3β (Glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta) signaling, the hippocampal contents of these proteins were determined. Male NMRI mice (20-25g body weight) were treated with 50 or 100mg/kg/po curcumin or its vehicle for 10 days. On day 10, the animals were trained in passive avoidance apparatus. The retention trial was performed 24h later. Scopolamine (1mg/kg/i.p.) or its vehicle was administered 30min before retention test. At the completion of behavioral studies, the hippocampi were removed and western blot analysis was performed to determine hippocampal phosphorylated and total Akt and GSK-3β and beta actin contents. The results showed that curcumin treatment at 50 and 100mg/kg doses prevented scopolamine-induced memory retrieval deficit and restored Akt and GSK dephosphorylation caused by scopolamine. Overall, these findings showed that pre-test scopolamine administration disrupts memory retrieval along with the diminished Akt and GSK-3β phosphorylation in hippocampus while curcumin administration prevented those changes. PMID: 30321530 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: European Journal of Pharmacology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: Eur J Pharmacol Source Type: research