مجله علوم پزشکی فیض (پیوسته) (Jun 2024)
Effect of Octapamine on Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 Receptor (IGF1R) and Cell Death Rate in the Hippocampus of Alzheimer’s Wistar Rats
Abstract
Background and Aim: Alzheimer's disease is a neurological disorder characterized initially by mild memory impairments that ultimately lead to neuronal cell death in the brain. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Octapamine on memory, antioxidant enzyme activity, insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF1R) expression levels, cell death rates, and the number of amyloid plaques in Wistar rats with Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: In this experimental study, 27 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups (nine rats each): the control group, which underwent no surgery or special treatment; the sham group, which was induced with Alzheimer’s disease via amyloid beta injection and received normal saline intraperitoneally; and the treatment group, which received Octapamine intraperitoneally following the induction of Alzheimer’s disease. Behavioral, enzymatic, and histological parameters, as well as IGF1R expression levels, were measured. Results: Behavioral tests indicated that the mean delay in entering the dark compartment of the shuttle box was significantly increased in the Octapamine treatment group compared to the sham group (P<0.05). Additionally, both the relative number of amyloid plaques and the percentage of dead cells in the hippocampus showed a significant decrease in the Octapamine treatment group compared to the sham group (P<0.001). The expression of IGF1R, along with the activities of glutathione peroxidase and catalase enzymes, increased significantly in the Octapamine treatment group compared to the sham group (P<0.001). Conclusion: Octapamine significantly improved memory deficits, enhanced the activity of antioxidant enzymes (glutathione peroxidase and catalase), reduced neuronal cell death, and decreased amyloid plaque formation associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
