Long-term effects of ageing and ovariectomy on aversive and recognition memory and DNA damage in the hippocampus of female rats
Abstract
Objective: This study investigated the influence of ageing – in particular the decrease of gonadal hormone levels during the ageing process – on the memory and the levels of DNA damage in the hippocampus of female rats. Methods: Three groups of female Wistar rats were investigated: Group I consisted of non-ovariectomised, adult animals (6 months old); Group II consisted of non-ovariectomised, aged animals (18 months old); and Group III consisted of ovariectomised, aged animals (18 months old). The memory of the animals in these groups was examined via novel object recognition and inhibitory avoidance tests. The hippocampus tissue samples of all animals were obtained via biopsy and used to quantify the DNA damage using a Comet Assay. Results: According to our findings, the process of ageing results in a change during the behavioural tests. To prevent genotoxic damage to the hippocampus caused by the ageing process, lowered hormone levels seem to be part of a protective biochemical mechanism in the body of rats. Animals that were previously submitted to an ovariectomy adapted better to these lower levels of hormones. Conclusion: Our results indicate that ovariectomy can provide beneficial long-term effects on the memory. However, this could be specific to the kind of memory examined, as the aversive memory deficits caused by ageing were not affected by ovariectomy.
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Ovariectomy in female rats has been shown to protect against hippocampal DNA damage and improve memory function.
“Furthermore, ovariectomy in female rats has been shown to protect against hippocampal DNA damage and improve memory function [85].”
From DNA repair deficiency and senescence in concussed professional athletes involved in contact sports (2019) · cites this paper as [85]
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- Authors
- Leffa, D. D., Damiani, A. P., Damazio, D. D. C., Guerra, N. P., Moretti, M., de Brito, G. G. D. S., Boeck, C. R., Gavioli, E. C., & de Andrade, V. M.
- Affiliations
- Universidade do Sul de Santa Catarina (BR)
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (BR)
- Corresponding author
- Leffa, Daniela Dimer
- ORCID
- Venue
- Acta Neuropsychiatrica
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2013-10-08
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 161-169
- ISSN
- 0924-2708 (ISSN-L)
- 1601-5215
- OpenAlex
- W2172045082
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 53
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 0.00
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Acta Neuropsychiatrica (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Menopause: Health Impacts and Treatments
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Estrogen and related hormone effects
- Keywords
- aging, ovariectomy, estrogen deficiency, hippocampus, DNA damage, genotoxicity, aversive memory, passive avoidance, novel object recognition, recognition memory, female rats, memory impairment
- MeSH terms
- Aging, Animals, DNA Damage, Estradiol, Female, Hippocampus, Ovariectomy, Rats, Wistar, Recognition, Psychology, Rats
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