Long-term but not short-term aspirin treatment attenuates diabetes-associated learning and memory decline in mice

Increasing studies have shown that the patients with diabetes mellitus have an increased risk of cognitive impairment, dementia, and neurodegeneration. The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of aspirin on diabetes-associated learning and memory decline in mice. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin (150 mg/kg body weight) in C57BL/6 mice. The mice were administered with aspirin at a dose of 30 mg/kg by intragastric administration once a day for 1, 4 or 8 weeks respectively. 8 weeks after aspirin or vehicle treatment, the effect of aspirin on diabetes-associated learning and memory decline in mice was investigated by evaluating the mean escape latency and the percentage of time spent in target quadrant. The TNF-α, IL-1β contents, and acetylcholinesterase activity in hippocampus were assayed as well. The results showed that administration with aspirin for 4 weeks or 8 weeks significantly reduced the mean escape latency, the acetylcholinesterase activity, the TNF-α, IL-1β levels and increased the percentage of time spent in target quadrant. However, treatment with aspirin for 1 week did not ameliorate diabetes-associated learning and memory decline. The present study demonstrated that long-term aspirin treatment attenuates diabetes-associated learning and memory decline in mice, and that the effect of aspirin was related to its anti-inflammatory potency.