Background: Brain agingis a natural process that affects all populations, leading to declines
in both cognitive and biological functions. Consequently, promoting healthy brain aging has
become a major public health priority. Vitamin D (Vit.D), a crucial hormone involved in
calcium regulation, plays diverse roles across various tissues, including the brain, and has
been implicated in mitigating age-related cognitive decline.Aim: To investigate the possible
neuroprotective effects of Vitamin D in alleviating cognitive dysfunction in aged rat
models.Method: Fortymale albino rats were divided into 5 groups consisting of 8 rats in each
group; control,D-galactose induced brain aging group,Vit.D100,1000,10000 IU/kg groups
respectively. Upon aging induction with D-galactose, Vitamin D therapy was sustained for
eight weeks, and cognitive function was measured through the Novel Object Recognition Test
(NORT) and the Barnes test. At the study’s endpoint,biochemical markers were
measured;amyloid β (Aβ), MDA and GSHin hippocampal tissue.Results: Rats that received
Vit.Dat doses 1000 &10000 IU/Kg showed significant decrease in Aβ level and oxidative
stress state and also showed improvement in memory impairment that was confirmed by
histopathological examination of hippocampal tissue and rats’performance in memory tasks.
The same doses of Vit.D also improved synaptic plasticity which was confirmed by
immunohistochemistry staining of synaptic proteins; post synaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) and synaptophysin. Conclusion: Vit. D administration in high doses has a neuroprotective
effect on cognitive impairment in aged rats throughan antioxidant mechanism andby
modulating synaptic plasticity |
