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Orally Administered Cinnamon Extract Attenuates Cognitive and Neuronal Deficits Following Traumatic Brain Injury

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Abstract

The present paper shows how cinnamon extract (CE) consumption mitigates neuronal loss and memory impairment following traumatic brain injury (TBI), one of the world’s most common neurodegenerative diseases. TBI patients suffer short- and long-term behavioral, cognitive, and emotional impairments, including difficulties in concentration, memory loss, and depression. Research shows that CE application can mitigate cognitive and behavioral impairments in animal models for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, whose pathophysiology is similar to that of TBI. This study builds on prior research by showing similar results in TBI mice models. After drinking CE for a week, mice were injured using our 70-g weight drop TBI device. For 2 weeks thereafter, the mice continued drinking CE alongside standard lab nutrition. Subsequently, the mice underwent behavioral tests to assess their memory, motor activity, and anxiety. The mice brains were harvested for immunohistochemistry staining to evaluate overall neuronal survival. Our results show that CE consumption almost completely mitigates memory impairment and decreases neuronal loss after TBI. Mice that did not consume CE demonstrated impaired memory. Our results also show that CE consumption attenuated neuronal loss in the temporal cortex and the dentate gyrus. Mice that did not consume CE suffered a significant neuronal loss. There were no significant differences in anxiety levels and motor activity between all groups. These findings show a new therapeutic approach to improve cognitive function and decrease memory loss after TBI.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported in part by the Ari and Regine Aprijaskis Fund at Tel-Aviv University and the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Chair for the Biology of Addictive Diseases in Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy and Anthropology, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

    Doaa Qubty, Vardit Rubovitch, Tali Benromano & Chaim G. Pick

  2. Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Michael Ovadia

  3. The Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Chair and Center for the Biology of Addictive Diseases, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel

    Chaim G. Pick

  4. Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Chaim G. Pick

  5. Sylvan Adams Sports Institute, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Chaim G. Pick

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  1. Doaa Qubty
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  2. Vardit Rubovitch
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  3. Tali Benromano
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  4. Michael Ovadia
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  5. Chaim G. Pick
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Correspondence to Chaim G. Pick.

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The Sackler Commission on Animal Experimentation approved the trial protocol M-14-050, M-15-011, in line with the Guidelines for Animal Experimentation of the National Institutes of Health (DHEW publication 85-23, revised, 1995).

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Qubty, D., Rubovitch, V., Benromano, T. et al. Orally Administered Cinnamon Extract Attenuates Cognitive and Neuronal Deficits Following Traumatic Brain Injury. J Mol Neurosci 71, 178–186 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-020-01688-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-020-01688-4

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