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Neurobehavioral Protection by Prebiotic Formulations in a Scopolamine-Induced Cognitive Impaired Zebrafish Model
Emanuel Vamanu1,2, Ionela Avram3, Diana Roxana Pelinescu3
1Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Agronomic Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 011464 Bucharest, Romania.
Life (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 28, 2025
Summary
Two prebiotic formulations effectively reduced scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunction and anxiety in zebrafish. Formulation P4 also demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects without toxicity, suggesting therapeutic potential for neuropsychiatric disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pharmacology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Cognitive dysfunction and anxiety are significant challenges in neuropsychiatric disorders.
- Scopolamine (SCOP) is a widely used pharmacological agent to induce cognitive deficits and anxiety-like behaviors in animal models.
- Prebiotics, known for their gut health benefits, are increasingly explored for their potential impact on brain function and behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of two prebiotic formulations (P1 and P4) in mitigating scopolamine-induced cognitive dysfunction and anxiety-related behaviors in adult zebrafish.
- To assess the anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic properties of the prebiotic formulations in vitro and in vivo.
- To explore the therapeutic potential of prebiotics for managing neuropsychiatric disorders.
Main Methods:
- Adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) were treated with scopolamine (100 μM) to induce cognitive and anxiety deficits.
- Behavioral assessments included the novel tank assay (NTT), Y-maze study, and novel object recognition test (NOR).
- In vitro and in vivo assays were conducted to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity and cytotoxicity of prebiotic formulations P1 (ColonX) and P4 (AnXietate extract) at 3 and 6 mg/L concentrations.
Main Results:
- Both prebiotic formulations (P1 and P4) significantly ameliorated scopolamine-induced behavioral impairments in zebrafish.
- Cognitive performance, as measured by the Y-maze and NOR tests, was improved by the prebiotic treatments.
- Prebiotic formulation P4 exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity and demonstrated no observable cytotoxicity.
Conclusions:
- Prebiotic formulations show promise in alleviating cognitive deficits and anxiety-related behaviors.
- Formulation P4 possesses beneficial anti-inflammatory properties without adverse cytotoxic effects.
- These findings suggest that prebiotics could be a viable therapeutic strategy for neuropsychiatric disorders.
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