Abstract
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder caused due to the destruction of insulin-producing β-cells. Most diabetic patients consume aspartame as an artificial sweetener to feel the sugar taste. The present study explores the effect of aspartame consumption on cognitive behavior, biochemical changes, and histopathological alterations in selected brain regions of streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. The animals were divided into four groups based on the treatment they received, and each group consisted of six rats. The groups include control (C), diabetes (D), aspartame (ASP), and diabetes in combination with aspartame (D + ASP). The morphometric studies, including the general appearance of animals, and food & water intake, were observed daily; additionally, body weight and blood sugar levels were also noted weekly. Besides, behavioral studies were performed at the end day of the experiment. After completing a thirty-days experimental period, the rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation, and different parts of the brain regions were isolated for biochemical and histopathological studies. Our results demonstrated that aspartame administered to diabetic rats had significantly elevated blood glucose levels, food and water intake, and neurodegenerative changes in different brain regions compared to control. At the same time, the bodyweights, cognitive and gross behavioral activities, and the levels of acetylcholine, acetylcholinesterase, and total ATPases in various brain regions were significantly reduced. Our results conclude that aspartame administration to diabetic rats has shown adverse effects linked to cognitive dysfunction.
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Abbreviations
- DM:
-
Diabetes mellitus
- ASP:
-
Aspartame
- IDF:
-
International Diabetes Federation
- WHO:
-
World Health Organization
- US-FDA:
-
United States Food and Drug Administration
- STZ:
-
Streptozotocin
- NAAT:
-
Neutral amino acid transporter
- BBB:
-
Blood-brain barrier
- ROS:
-
Reactive oxygen species
- ACh:
-
Acetylcholine
- AChE:
-
Acetylcholinesterase
- GL:
-
Granular Layer
- MDC:
-
Mild Degenerative Changes
- PC:
-
Purkinje Cells
- WM:
-
White Matter
- ML:
-
Molecular Layer
- GC:
-
Glial Cells
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Ediga, M., Annapureddy, S., Salikineedy, K. et al. Aspartame consumption causes cognitive impairment in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats. Biologia 78, 2393–2407 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-023-01363-0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11756-023-01363-0