Objective To investigate the effects of Resveratrol on learning and memory in rats with vascular dementia (VD) and the possible mechanism. Methods 40 male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group (sham), model control group (VD-veh), low dose (VD-Res1) and high dose (VD-Res2) of Resveratrol treatment group. Rats in VD-veh group and VD-Res treatment groups were made to the model of vascular dementia rats useing 2-VO method . The low dose and high dose of resveratrol treated group were given resveratrol 20 mg/ (kg - D), 50 mg/ (kg - D) by intraperitoneal injection for 14 days; rats in the sham group and VD-veh group were injected with normal brine. Morris water maze was used to detect the learning and memory ability of rats in each group, the expression of tau protein and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) was detected by Western blots. Results Compared to the sham group, rats in the VD-veh group had a increased escape latency in the Morris water maze (P < 0.01), and a decreased time of crossing platform (P < 0.01); Resveratrol can improve the studying ability (P < 0.05) and the times of passes through in the target quadrant (P < 0.05); compared to the sham group, VD-veh p-tau expression in hippocampus of rats was significantly increased (P < 0.05), the high dose of resveratrol intervention can reduce the p-tau in hippocampus of model rats (P < 0.05). Conclusion Resveratrol may improve the learning and memory ability of rats with vascular dementia by decreasing the level of phosphorylated tau protein in the brain.
【Key words】
Resveratrol; vascular dementia; learning and memory; tau phosphorylation