ABSTRACT
Dementia is one of the most important problems nowadays. Aging is associated with learning and memory impairments. Diet rich in cholesterol has been shown to be detrimental to cognitive performance. This work was carried out to compare the effect of high cholesterol diet on the hippocampus of adult and aged male albino rats. Twenty adult and twenty aged male rats were used in this study. According to age, the rats were randomly subdivided into balanced and high cholesterol diet fed groups. The diet was 15 g/rat/day for adult rats and 20 g/rat/day for aged rats for eight weeks. Serial coronal sections of hippocampus and blood samples were taken from each rat. For diet effect evaluation, Clinical, biochemical, histological, immunohistochemical, and morphometric assessments were done. In compare to a balanced diet fed rat, examination of Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA 1) area in the hippocampus of the high cholesterol diet adult rats showed degeneration, a significant decrease of the pyramidal cells, attenuation and/or thickening of small blood vessels, apparent increase of astrocytes and apparent decrease of Nissl's granules content. Moreover, the high cholesterol diet aged rats showed aggravation of senility changes of the hippocampus together with Alzheimer like pathological changes. In conclusion, the high cholesterol diet has a significant detrimental effect on the hippocampus and aging might pronounce this effect. So, we should direct our attention to limit cholesterol intake in our food to maintain a healthy life style for a successful aging.
Subject(s)
Adult , Animals , Humans , Male , Rats , Aging , Astrocytes , Blood Vessels , Cholesterol , Dementia , Diet , Hippocampus , Learning , Life Style , Memory , Pyramidal CellsABSTRACT
Dementia is one of the most important problems nowadays. Aging is associated with learning and memory impairments. Diet rich in cholesterol has been shown to be detrimental to cognitive performance. This work was carried out to compare the effect of high cholesterol diet on the hippocampus of adult and aged male albino rats. Twenty adult and twenty aged male rats were used in this study. According to age, the rats were randomly subdivided into balanced and high cholesterol diet fed groups. The diet was 15 g/rat/day for adult rats and 20 g/rat/day for aged rats for eight weeks. Serial coronal sections of hippocampus and blood samples were taken from each rat. For diet effect evaluation, Clinical, biochemical, histological, immunohistochemical, and morphometric assessments were done. In compare to a balanced diet fed rat, examination of Cornu Ammonis 1 (CA 1) area in the hippocampus of the high cholesterol diet adult rats showed degeneration, a significant decrease of the pyramidal cells, attenuation and/or thickening of small blood vessels, apparent increase of astrocytes and apparent decrease of Nissl's granules content. Moreover, the high cholesterol diet aged rats showed aggravation of senility changes of the hippocampus together with Alzheimer like pathological changes. In conclusion, the high cholesterol diet has a significant detrimental effect on the hippocampus and aging might pronounce this effect. So, we should direct our attention to limit cholesterol intake in our food to maintain a healthy life style for a successful aging.
Subject(s)
Adult , Animals , Humans , Male , Rats , Aging , Astrocytes , Blood Vessels , Cholesterol , Dementia , Diet , Hippocampus , Learning , Life Style , Memory , Pyramidal CellsABSTRACT
Diabetes mellitus is a pandemic metabolic disease having several bone complications. Nigella sativa [NS] might have a role similar to insulin in diabetes and might be useful in treatment of diabetic osteoporosis. This work aimed to clarify changes of the compact bone of streptozotocin induced diabetic adult male rats and the possible role of nigella sativa. Forty adult male rats were used. They were divided into four groups: Control; NS treated; diabetic and diabetic with NS. On sacrifice, blood samples were drawn to determine serum alkaline phosphatase [ALP] level. Both femora of each animal were processed for radiological, histological, immunohistochemical and morphometrical studies. Diabetic rats showed highly significant decrease in body weight and serum ALP level. Radiologically, femora of diabetic rats showed decreased bone density, bone softening and cortical thinning. Histologically, there was degeneration of osteoblasts and osteocytes, multiple osteoporotic cavities, decreased collagen fibers and irregularity of bone surfaces. Morphometrically, there was a highly significant decrease in osteoblast number. Immunohistchemically, there was a negative expression of osteopontin protein in bone matrix. Treatment of diabetic rats with NS resulted in improvement of body weight, biochemical, radiographical, histological, morphometricai and immunohistochemical pictures. Diabetes could lead to osteoporosis which might increase incidence of bone fractures. NS which is a cheap, available natural plant could ameliorate diabetic changes of bone. So it could be considered as a curative measure of diabetic osteoporosis