Effects of cafeteria diet on memory and hippocampal oxidative stress in a rat model of Alzheimer-like disease: Neuroprotection of green tea supplementation

Abstract

Here we investigate the neuroprotective role of green tea (GT) when cafeteria diet (CAF) is associated with a model of β-Amyloid (Aβ) injection that induces cognitive impairments related to Alzheimer disease (AD). Wistar male rats were supplemented with GT, CAF, or GT plus CAF for 8 weeks before intra-hippocampal injection of Aβ peptide (2 μL of Aβ-25–35, CA1 region). AD-like and sham rats were submitted to memory tests. Oxidative status was quantified in the bilateral hippocampus, and plasmatic triglycerides, total cholesterol, glucose, and AChE activity were determined. CAF per se does not impair object and social recognition memories. Neuroprotective role of GT was confirmed also in the conditions of CAF combined with AD-like. GT supplementation and CAF, either isolated or combined, avoid oxidative stress and damage in the hippocampus. We conclude that CAF did not influence oxidative damage and memory deficits resultant of β-Amyloid injection when GT is simultaneously ingested.