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The effect of folic acid supplementation on damage caused by chronic cerebral hypo-perfusion in the hippocampus: the role of antioxidant agents and homocysteine

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Abstract

Purpose

Oxidative stress is known as the dominant factor in the damage caused by ischemia. Also, clinical studies have shown that the amount of folic acid decreases during ischemia. A decrease in folic acid is associated with an increase in homocysteine, which plays an important role in neurological disorders. In this study, folic acid was used to treat ischemic animals. The antioxidant role of folic acid is known. In addition, folic acid is able to reduce homocysteine level.

Methods

Forty male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: sham; CCH; and 2 CCH groups treated with folic acid 4 and 12 mg/kg. Chronic cerebral hypo-perfusion (CCH) was induced by permanent occlusion of common carotid arteries. Three days after occlusion, folic acid was administered daily for 60 days. At the end of the experiment, spatial learning and memory, antioxidant activity and MDA level in the hippocampus and serum homocysteine (Hcy) level were assessed.

Results

Cognitive assay revealed that folic acid has been able to improve spatial learning and memory in the CCH groups. Folic acid increased antioxidant capacity in the hippocampus of the CCH groups. Examination of serum homocysteine and hippocampal MDA also showed that folic acid reduces these factors.

Conclusion

According to the result, folic acid may be effective in reducing the damages caused by CCH in the hippocampus by improving the capacity of antioxidant and lowering homocysteine.

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Funding

This article is the result of the research project number 5616, which was carried out at Yazd Neuroendocrine Research Center. The funding for this project was provided by Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yazd Neuroendocrine Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran

    Azadeh Shahrokhi Raeini, Mansour Esmaili dehaj, Mohammad Peykani, Faezeh Afkhami Aghda & Fatemeh Zare Mehrjerdi

  2. Functional Neurosurgery Research Center, Shohada Tajrish Comprehensive Neurosurgical Center of Excellence, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

    Somayeh Niknazar

Authors
  1. Azadeh Shahrokhi Raeini
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  2. Somayeh Niknazar
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  4. Mohammad Peykani
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  5. Faezeh Afkhami Aghda
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All the authors have actively participated in all the stages of this project and have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Fatemeh Zare Mehrjerdi.

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All the stages of the work in this study were approved by the Ethics Committee of Yazd University of Medical Sciences which is accordance with the US National Institutes of Health Publication guide for the care and use of laboratory animals with ethical code: IR.SSU.MEDICINE.REC.1396.111.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Raeini, A.S., Niknazar, S., Esmaili dehaj, M. et al. The effect of folic acid supplementation on damage caused by chronic cerebral hypo-perfusion in the hippocampus: the role of antioxidant agents and homocysteine. Nutrire 49, 1 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41110-023-00240-9

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