Yerba Mate and chlorogenic acid reduce anxiety and cognitive deficits caused by detraining in mice

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether the administration of Yerba Mate (YM) and one of its bioactive components, chlorogenic acid, can reverse detraining-induced negative behavioral changes in mice.Methodology: Mice were randomly assigned to five experimental groups (n=10): a sedentary group, a trained group, a detraining group, a detraining group treated with yerba mate, and a detraining group treated with chlorogenic acid. The trained group underwent a swimming training regimen for 8 weeks (5 days/week, 60 min/day), while the detraining groups completed the same swimming program for 4 weeks before discontinuing exercise for the subsequent 4 weeks. Mice were weighed weekly throughout the treatment period. After 8 weeks, the subjects were tested in a series of behavioral assays, including the open field test, object recognition task, light-dark box, and tail suspension test.Results: Significant differences were observed in the relative weight of epididymal fat between the detraining group and the other experimental groups. Physical activity was shown to promote an antidepressant effect in trained mice; however, prolonged detraining eliminated this effect. Additionally, detraining led to increased anxiety-like behavior compared to the trained group and impaired memory relative to both the sedentary and trained mice. Interestingly, these detraining-induced deleterious effects were partially reversed by treatment with yerba mate or chlorogenic acid. No differences were found in the open field test. Conclusions: Yerba mate and chlorogenic acid partially reverse the behavioral changes and cognitive decline associated with detraining.

Keywords

• Yerba mate
• Chlorogenic Acid
• Depression
• Memory