Scope: We investigated the potential beneficial effect of Apocynin (APO) on motor and cognitive functions in experimental Alzheimer's disease (AD).
Materials and Methods: Experimental AD was induced in rats by
Conclusion: These results indicate that APO can provide neuro-protective effect for motor but not for cognitive performance in experimental AD.
INTRODUCTIONI nflammation has been shown to play a vital role in the pathophysiology of the Alzheimer's disease (AD). Microglial cells are responsible for removing the remnants of apoptotic neurons and by doing so they induce an inflammatory response against amyloid plaques via oxidative stress. This theory claims that oxidative stress is the main damaging factor in AD (1, 2, 3). However, antioxidant molecules have not shown to demonstrate significant clinical benefits (2, 4).Recent researches indicate that AD is a brain-specific form of diabetes (5, 6). Hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia are correlated with development of 7). Defective insulin signaling, altered levels and/or abnormal activation of components of the insulin signaling pathway, and, more importantly, decreased responsiveness to insulin were found in AD (5,8). In response to infection, trauma or abnormal collection of protein aggregates; TNF-a is produced mainly from microglial cells in the brain. TNF-a levels are increased in AD