ABSTRACT
Light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with improved cardiovascular and brain health. As such, some guidelines for health and wellness advocate drinking one or two alcoholic beverages each day. Conversely, it is widelyaccepted that large amounts of alcohol are detrimental to our health. Alcohol affects many organs of the body including the nervous system. The present study aimed at evaluating the hormetics effect of chronic alcohol consumption on the cognitive, behavioral and brain antioxidant system on adult Wistar Rats.Thirty-two(32) adult Wistar rats of both sexes were divided into 4 experimental groups with 8 animals of both sexes (house separately) in each group: Group1 served as control and was administered distilled water, while Group2 was administered with 0.12g/kg of ethanol, Group3 was administered with 0.16g/kg of ethanol and group4 was administered with 0.24g/kg of ethanol respectively for eleven(11) weeks orally. Cognition was assessed using Morris Water Maze and behavioral activities was assessed using elevatedplus Maze and resident intruder Test before, during and after administration.After administration, the rats were anesthetized lightly with ketamine injection(75mg/kg IP), the brain was removed and part was homogenized in phosphate buffer solution(PBS) for the estimation of Glutathione(GSH), superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT), glutathione and malondaldehyde(MDA) and part was fixed in Bouin's fluid for histological studies. One-way analysis of variance, Repeated measure analysis of variance and Friedman test was used to compare the mean value and p<0.05.The result indicated that there was no significant alternation of learning and memory in control group of male and female rats while in the administered, consistent significant improved learning and memory was observed in dose dependent (Group 2: 37.61Â7.34sec,15.26Â5.57sec, 12.74Â3.44sec; Group 3: 28.72Â5.52sec, 12.20Â4.31sec, 7.87Â2.51sec and Group 4: 26.64Â9.64sec, 23.57Â1.84sec, 8.90Â3.05sec before, at 5th week and 10th week of administration respectively) over time in male rats while consistent significant improved learning and memory was observed in Group 2(17.47Â3.06sec, 7.55Â3.90sec, 5.61Â2.63sec) and Group 3 (31.30Â6.83sec, 10.77Â4.31sec) before, at 5th week and 10th week of administration respectively. No significant difference was observed in anxiety like behavior, aggression and brain antioxidant system. Loss of neural processes was observed in Group 4 female.In conclusion, with respect to the present result, daily oral consumption of lose dose of alcohol improve learning and memory in male and female Wistar rats andcould be of health benefit which is in line with mitohormesis concept thereby resulting longevity and could use to delay memory loss associated with aging diseases.
