Melatonin and Vitamin E Improve Cognitive Health in Rodents

VRP Staff

Researchers have found that melatonin and vitamin E improve cognitive function in diabetic rats.

Previous studies indicate that declining brain function may accompany diabetes. Therefore, scientists of the current study sought to explore whether melatonin and vitamin E supplementation could affect cognitive function in diabetic rats.

Researchers induced diabetes in male rats by injecting a substance called streptozotocin. They then investigated the learning and memory behaviors in the animals. The levels of lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant glutathione also were measured in hippocampus and frontal cortex.

The diabetic rats developed significant impairment in learning and memory behaviors compared to control rats. Furthermore, lipid peroxidation levels increased and glutathione concentration decreased in diabetic rats. Treatment with melatonin and vitamin E, however, significantly ameliorated learning and memory performance. Furthermore, both vitamin E and melatonin reversed lipid peroxidation and glutathione levels toward their control values.

The study authors concluded, “These results suggest that oxidative stress may contribute to learning and memory deficits in diabetes and further suggest that antioxidant melatonin and vitamin E can improve cognitive impairment in streptozotocin-induced diabetes.”

Reference:
Tuzcu M, Baydas G. Effect of melatonin and vitamin E on diabetes-induced learning and memory impairment in rats. Eur J Pharmacol. 2006 May 10;537(1-3):106-10. Epub 2006 Mar 20.