The Effects of Probiotic Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium Strains on Memory and Learning Behavior, Long-Term Potentiation (LTP), and Some Biochemical Parameters in β-Amyloid-Induced Rat’s Model of Alzheimer’s Disease

Abstract

This study assessed the effects of probiotic supplementation on spatial learning and memory, long-term potentiation (LTP), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) ratios, nitric oxide (NO) concentrations, and lipid profiles in a rat model of amyloid beta (Aβ)(1–42)-induced Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Forty rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. The sham (control and prevention) group received intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections of artificial cerebrospinal fluid, the Alzheimer group received ICV injection of Aβ(1–42), and the probiotic+Alzheimer group received 500 mg probiotics daily (15×109 colony-forming unit) by gavage for 4 weeks before and 2 weeks after injection of Aβ(1–42). The Morris water maze test was performed for evaluation of spatial learning and memory. LTP and PPF ratios were measured to evaluate longterm synaptic plasticity and pre-synaptic mechanisms, respectively. The results showed that probiotic supplementation significantly improved learning, but not memory impairment, and increased PPF ratios compared to those in the Alzheimer group. Both Aβ(1–42) injection and probiotic supplementation alone did not significantly effect plasma level of NO. Probiotic supplementation of rats in the probiotic (6 weeks)+Alzheimer group decreased serum levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol significantly compared to the Alzheimer group. The results of this study suggest that probiotic supplementation may positively impact learning capacity and LTP in rats with AD, most likely via the release of neurotransmitters via presynaptic mechanisms or via a protective effect on serum lipid profiles.

Amyloidogenic Peptides in Human Neuro-Degenerative Diseases and in Microorganisms: A Sorrow Shared Is a Sorrow Halved?

“…First reports indicate successful application in animal models: Lactobacillus plantarum, for example, was able to restore cognition and levels of acetylcholine esterase in the brain of a D-galactose-evoked AD-like rat model [94]. Similar results were obtained from investigations using genetic AD mouse models with Bifidobacterium breve strain A1 [95], SLAB51 (probiotic formulation, [96]) but also with Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus fermentum, Bifidobacterium lactis, and Bifidobacterium longum in rodent sporadic AD models due to amyloid-β injection [97][98][99]. As only one explorative intervention study reports on a small cohort of AD human patients [100], the usefulness in humans is still not proven.…”

Gut–Brain Axis: Role of Gut Microbiota on Neurological Disorders and How Probiotics/Prebiotics Beneficially Modulate Microbial and Immune Pathways to Improve Brain Functions

“…The probiotic treatment was also significantly improved the brain function in mice with AD model [ 165 ]. Razaeiasi et al [ 166 ]. have analyzed the effects of probiotics on spatial learning and memory and some other parameters in rats with AD.…”

Interplay of Good Bacteria and Central Nervous System: Cognitive Aspects and Mechanistic Considerations

“…Bifidobacterium longum 1714 substantially enhanced the learning and memory capabilities evaluated by fear conditioning test, novel object recognition task, and Barnes maze test ( Savignac et al, 2015 ). A mixture of probiotic bacteria enhanced amplitude of the potentiated responses recorded in the CA1 region of hippocampus in the normal reared rats ( Rezaeiasl et al, 2019 ).…”

“… Beilharz et al (2018) showed that pre-exposure to a probiotic mixture (VSL#3) could prevent diet-induced memory spatial memory deficits in the rats introduced to the place task. In an animal model of AD, we showed that a cocktail of probiotics restored the impaired learning and memory in the beta amyloid (Aβ)-injected rats ( Rezaeiasl et al, 2019 ). In addition, in a series of experiments, we demonstrated that formulations of probiotics significantly improve the spatial memory examined by the Morris water maze in the ethanol treated ( Hadidi Zavareh et al, 2020 ), and the diabetic ( Davari et al, 2013 ), stressed ( Hadizadeh et al, 2019 ), and epileptic ( Bagheri et al, 2019 ; Tahmasebi et al, 2020 ) animal models.…”

“…In an animal model of epilepsy, we demonstrated that a probiotic cocktail ( Lactobacillus rhamnosu s, Lactobacillus reuteri , and Bifidobacterium infantis ) decreased concentration of NO and MDA and increased concentration of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the brain ( Bagheri et al, 2019 ). Moreover, the probiotic treatment of the AD rats improved impaired spatial memory, increased the antioxidant index TAC, and reduced the oxidant MDA ( Rezaeiasl et al, 2019 ). In a diabetic animal model, the probiotic administration improved the learning and memory deficit and declined the product of oxidatively damaged DNA, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) factor, and elevated SOD ( Davari et al, 2013 ).…”