Effect of atorvastatin on spatial memory in high-fat dietary rats

• Main Authors: Mohammad Nosrati, Hamid Sepehri
• Format: Article
• Language: fas
• Published: Golestan University of Medical Sciences 2019-03-01
• Series: مجله دانشگاه علوم پزشکی گرگان
• Subjects: Atorvastatin; Spatial memory; Morris Water Maze; High-fat diet; Rat
• Online Access: http://goums.ac.ir/journal/browse.php?a_code=A-10-595-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1

Background and Objective: Atorvastatin is a member of the statin family with lipophilic character and anti-hyperlipidemic effect. There is many evidence that atorvastatin has protective effect on cognitive function. This study was done to evaluate the effect of atorvastatin on spatial memory in rats following a high-fat diet. Methods: This experimental study was performed on 35 male Wistar male rats. Animals were randomly allocated into 5 groups including control, control plus atorvastatin and sham (received high-fat diet for 4 weeks) and high-fat diet plus atorvastatin (10 and 50 mg/kg, for 4 weeks). Learning and spatial memory were measured using Morris water maze for a 6-day period including 5 days training and the last day, test day (probe day). Results: High-fat diet reduced learning and poor memory performance during training and probe compared to the control group, and also on the probe day, the high-fat group spent less time in the target quarter (P<0.05). Administration of atorvastatin after a high-fat diet improvement spatial memory in compared to high-fat group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Short-term treatment (4 weeks) with atorvastatin in high-fat dietary rats can improve spatial memory.