- Acta Medica Nicomedia
- Cilt: 6 Sayı: 3
- Neuropeptide W alleviates cognitive impairment and anxiety-like behaviors in rats with chronic stres...
Neuropeptide W alleviates cognitive impairment and anxiety-like behaviors in rats with chronic stress
Authors : Sevil Arabaci Tamer, Emine Karahan
Pages : 334-339
Doi:10.53446/actamednicomedia.1313876
View : 64 | Download : 98
Publication Date : 2023-10-21
Article Type : Research
Abstract :Objective: NPW plays a regulatory role in the neuroendocrine response to stress and the activation of the HPA axis. The current study aimed to investigate the effects of peripherally administered NPW on the cognitive functions and anxiety-like behavior of rats under chronic stress conditions. Methods: Wistar albino (250-290 gr) male rats were randomly divided as control, chronic stress group, and chronic stress exposed NPW-treated (0.1 µg/kg, subcutaneously) group. Chronic stress was induced by exposing the animals to water avoidance stress (WAS) for 1 h/day for ten consecutive days. At the end of the experimental stress procedure, an object recognition test was used to evaluate cognitive functions, and a hole-board test was used to assess anxiety levels. After the experiments, blood samples were collected to measure corticosterone levels. Results: WAS significant increases in the level of corticosterone when compared with control rats (p<0.05), showing the activation of HPA axis. Application of WAS also caused anxiety and diminished cognitive functions. In NPW-treated rats with WAS, the corticosterone level was not different from the control group. The number of rearing up and head-dips by WAS-induced rats increased after NPW application. (p<0.05-0.01) and also decreased the immobilization time (p<0.01). Moreover, the difference score in the object recognition test was increased by the NPW application in WAS group (p< 0.05). Conclusion: Our results showed for the first time that NPW pretreatment exerted an anxiolytic effect and attenuated cognitive function in rats subjected to water aversion stress.Keywords : Nöropeptid W, stres, anksiyete, bilişsel işlev, hafıza