Caffeine Improves Neurobehavioural Impairments in Fructose-Fed Swiss Mice via Multiple Neurochemical Mechanisms

Abstract

Caffeine is a substance that has attracted more research attention in recent years as it forms the main ingredient in many beverages, including coffee. It has stimulant activity with low toxicity. Fructose on the other hand has been shown to impair neurocognitive functions in experimental animals. This study investigated the effect of caffeine on fructose-induced neurobehavioural impairment in mice. Twenty-seven Swiss mice (n=9) were randomly grouped as follows: Control (water and rat chow ad libitum); fructose treated group (100% fructose solution ad libitum); and fructose-caffeine treated group (100% fructose solution + 1 g/L of caffeine ad libitum). Treatment lasted for 6 weeks after which the mice were subjected to Morris water maze, Y-maze, elevated plus maze and beam walk tests. Thereafter, the animals were humanely sacrificed. Whole brain samples were harvested and gently homogenized in sodium phosphate buffer, and cold centrifuged for neurotransmitters assay. The results showed that fructose significantly (p<0.05) increased body weight, impaired memory functions and inhibited the brain levels of dopamine, serotonin and acetylcholine. Caffeine co-administered with fructose was however, found to significantly (p<0.05) reduce body weight, improved memory and locomotor performances and increased brain levels of the aforementioned neurotransmitters and enzyme. It was concluded that fructose impairs neurobehavioural activities via impaired brain neurotransmitter and enzyme activities, which was ameliorated by caffeine.