CHRONIC CAFFEINE'S EFFECTS ON BEHAVIOURAL CHANGES IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED DIABETIC RATS

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Pharmacology
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Diabetes is linked to cognitive impairments like memory deficits, anxiety, and depression.
• Caffeine, a widely consumed psychoactive substance, is being investigated for its potential therapeutic benefits in managing these conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the behavioral effects of caffeine in Wistar rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes.
• To evaluate caffeine's impact on anxiety, memory, and depression-related behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Diabetes was induced in Wistar rats using streptozotocin (50 mg/kg).
• Behavioral assessments included the elevated plus maze (EPM) for anxiety, novel object recognition (NOR) for memory, and forced swimming test (FST) for depression.
• Rats received caffeine (20 mg/kg/day) in drinking water for two weeks, after which behavioral tests were repeated.

Main Results:

• Diabetic rats exhibited increased anxiety and impaired long-term memory compared to controls.
• Caffeine administration did not alter glycemic levels in either group.
• Caffeine attenuated anxiety-like behaviors in the EPM test and improved long-term memory in the NOR test for both diabetic and control rats.

Conclusions:

• Chronic caffeine administration demonstrates anxiolytic effects in diabetic rats.
• Caffeine enhances long-term memory in both diabetic and non-diabetic Wistar rats.