Independent and combined effects of astaxanthin and omega-3 on behavioral deficits and molecular changes in a prenatal valproic acid model of autism in rats.

Item request has been placed! ×
Item request cannot be made. ×
loading   Processing Request
Read Online Read More Add to Saved list
  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: Taylor & Francis Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 100892202 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1476-8305 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 1028415X NLM ISO Abbreviation: Nutr Neurosci Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Publication: 2016- : Abingdon : Taylor & Francis
      Original Publication: [Amsterdam?] : Harwood Academic Publishers : Overseas Publishers Association [distributor], c1998-
    • Subject Terms:
      Xanthophylls*/administration & dosage ; Xanthophylls*/pharmacology ; Rats, Wistar* ; Valproic Acid*/administration & dosage ; Fatty Acids, Omega-3*/administration & dosage ; Autistic Disorder*/chemically induced ; Autistic Disorder*/drug therapy ; Disease Models, Animal* ; Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects* ; Behavior, Animal*/drug effects; Animals ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Hippocampus/metabolism ; Hippocampus/drug effects ; Cytokines/metabolism ; Rats ; Serotonin/metabolism ; Prefrontal Cortex/metabolism ; Prefrontal Cortex/drug effects ; Social Behavior
    • Abstract:
      Objectives: Autism is a devastating neurodevelopmental disorder and recent studies showed that omega-3 or astaxanthin might reduce autistic symptoms due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, we investigated the effects of omega-3 and astaxanthin on the VPA-induced autism model of rats. Material and Methods : Female Wistar albino pups ( n  = 40) were grouped as control, autistic, astaxanthin (2 mg/kg), omega-3 (200 mg/kg), and astaxanthin (2 mg/kg)+omega-3 (200 mg/kg). All groups except the control were prenatally exposed to VPA. Astaxanthin and omega-3 were orally administered from the postnatal day 41 to 68 and behavioral tests were performed between day 69 and 73. The rats were decapitated 24 h after the behavioral tests and hippocampal and prefrontal cytokines and 5-HT levels were analyzed by ELISA. Results: VPA rats have increased grooming behavior while decreased sociability (SI), social preference index (SPI), discrimination index (DI), and prepulse inhibition (PPI) compared to control. Additionally, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels increased while IL-10 and 5-HT levels decreased in both brain regions. Astaxanthin treatment raised SI, SPI, DI, PPI, and prefrontal IL-10 levels. It also raised 5-HT levels and decreased IL-6 levels in both brain regions. Omega-3 and astaxanthin + omega-3 increased the SI, SPI, DI, and PPI and decreased grooming behavior. Moreover, they increased IL-10 and 5-HT levels whereas decreased IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ levels in both brain regions. Conclusions: Our results showed that VPA administration mimicked the behavioral and molecular changes of autism in rats. Single and combined administration of astaxanthin and omega-3 improved the autistic-like behavioral and molecular changes in the VPA model of rats.
    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: Astaxanthin; Autism; Neuroinflammation; Novel object recognition; Omega-3; Prepulse inhibition; Repetitive behaviors; Social interaction; Valproic acid
    • Accession Number:
      0 (astaxanthine)
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20230803 Date Completed: 20240517 Latest Revision: 20240517
    • Publication Date:
      20240517
    • Accession Number:
      10.1080/1028415X.2023.2239575
    • Accession Number:
      37534957