Abstract
Learned helplessness (LH) induces cognitive and emotional abnormalities via alteration of synaptic and apoptotic markers in the hippocampus. Given the sericin’s neuroprotective effects on different experimental models, this study aimed to address whether sericin is able to reduce LH-induced behavioral and molecular changes in the mouse model. Sixty male mice (3 months old) were randomly divided into control, normal saline (NS), and/or different doses of sericin (Ser [100, 200, and 300 mg/kg]) for 21 days. Accordingly, the animals in NS and sericin-treated groups were subjected to 1 day learned helplessness protocol. Behavioral deficits were evaluated and alterations in both synaptic and apoptotic factors were evaluated in the hippocampus. Induction of LH was associated with behavioral changes (depression and cognitive impairment). On the other hand, the administration of sericin effectively normalized these deficits. At molecular levels, sericin increased the levels of synaptophysin, synapsin-1, and PSD-95, and decreased apoptosis in the hippocampus. Although the exact mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of sericin are not fully understood, our results showed that this effect mediated via modulation of the synaptic and apoptotic proteins in the hippocampus of LH-subjected mice.
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The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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The authors would like thanks to Neuroscience Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, and Neurosciences Research Center of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences for their technical supports.
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Seyed Mehdi Vatandoust and Gholam Hossein Meftahi performed the experiments, analyzed interpreted the data, designed the experiments and edited the paper. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Vatandoust, S.M., Meftahi, G.H. The Effect of Sericin on the Cognitive Impairment, Depression, and Anxiety Caused by Learned Helplessness in Male Mice. J Mol Neurosci 72, 963–974 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-022-01982-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12031-022-01982-3