METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to permanent bilateral occlusion of common carotid arteries (PBOCCA) or sham surgery. Then, PBOCCA rats received ip injections with, either vehicle (control group), the muscarinic receptor agonist oxotremorine (0.1 mg/kg), or the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine (0.1 mg/kg). Cognitive functions were evaluated using a passive avoidance task and the Morris water maze test. In addition, hippocampal LTP was recorded in vivo under anaesthesia.
RESULTS: The PBOCCA rats exhibited significant deficits in passive avoidance retention and spatial learning and memory tests. They also showed a suppression of LTP formation in the hippocampus. Oxotremorine and physostigmine significantly improved the learning and memory deficits as well as the suppression of LTP in PBOCCA rats.
CONCLUSIONS: The present data suggest that the cholinergic system plays an important role in CCH-induced cognitive deficits and could be an effective therapeutic target for the treatment of VaD.
METHODS: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 11 groups; the control group was fed with rat chow, and the other groups were fed with chow that was mixed with 15% weight/weight palm or soy oils, which were either in a fresh form or heated once, twice, five, or ten times. Blood pressures were measured at the baseline and throughout the 24-week study. Plasma nitric oxide levels were assessed prior to treatment and at the end of the study. Following 24 weeks, the rats were sacrificed to investigate their vascular reactivity using the thoracic aorta.
RESULTS: Palm and soy oils had no detrimental effects on blood pressure, and they significantly elevated the nitric oxide contents and reduced the contractile responses to phenylephrine. However, trials using palm and soy oils that were repeatedly heated showed an increase in blood pressure, enhanced phenylephrine-induced contractions, reduced acetylcholine- and sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxations relative to the control and rats that were fed fresh vegetable oils.
CONCLUSIONS: The blood pressure-raising effect of the heated vegetable cooking oils is associated with increased vascular reactivity and a reduction in nitric oxide levels. The chronic consumption of heated vegetable oils leads to disturbances in endogenous vascular regulatory substances, such as nitric oxide. The thermal oxidation of the cooking oils promotes the generation of free radicals and may play an important contributory role in the pathogenesis of hypertension in rats.