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Chrysin attenuates traumatic brain injury-induced recognition memory decline, and anxiety/depression-like behaviors in rats: Insights into underlying mechanisms

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Abstract

Rationale

Cortical and hippocampal neuronal apoptosis and neuroinflammation are associated with behavioral deficits following traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Objectives

The present study was designed to investigate the potential protective effects of flavonoid chrysin against TBI-induced vestibulomotor impairment, exploratory/locomotor dysfunctions, recognition memory decline, and anxiety/depression-like behaviors, as well as the verified possible involved mechanisms.

Methods

Chrysin (25, 50, or 100 mg/kg/day; P.O.) was administered to rats immediately after diffuse TBI induction, and it was continued for 3 or 14 days. Behavioral functions were assessed by employing standard behavioral paradigms at scheduled points in time. Three days post-TBI, inflammation status was assayed in both cerebral cortex and hippocampus using ELISA kits. Moreover, apoptosis and expression of Bcl-2 family proteins were examined by TUNEL staining and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

Results

The results indicated that treatment with chrysin improved vestibulomotor dysfunction, ameliorated recognition memory deficit, and attenuated anxiety/depression-like behaviors in the rats with TBI. Chrysin treatment also modulated inflammation status, reduced apoptotic index, and regulated Bcl-2 family proteins expression in the brains of rats with TBI.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the results suggest that chrysin could be beneficial for protection against TBI-associated behavioral deficits, owing to its anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory properties.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mr. Baback Dadizadeh for proofreading this article.

Funding

This research was supported financially by a grant (APRC-9704) from Ahvaz Physiology Research Center, funded by the Vice Chancellor of Research, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (Iran).

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Author notes

  1. Masome Rashno and Shahab Ghaderi contributed equally to this work as first authors.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Physiology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Masome Rashno, Ali Nesari, Yaghoob Farbood & Alireza Sarkaki

  2. Department of Neuroscience, School of Science and Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Hamadan University of Medical Sciences, Hamadan, Iran

    Shahab Ghaderi

  3. Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Layasadat Khorsandi

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  1. Masome Rashno
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Rashno, M., Ghaderi, S., Nesari, A. et al. Chrysin attenuates traumatic brain injury-induced recognition memory decline, and anxiety/depression-like behaviors in rats: Insights into underlying mechanisms. Psychopharmacology 237, 1607–1619 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-020-05482-3

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