Effects of alfalfa protein concentrate on spatial learning and memory in weaned rats
2006
Garcia-Lopez, P.M. | Alfaro, N. | Garcia-Estrada, J. | Banuelos-Pineda, J. | Gurrola-Diaz, C.M. | Garcia-Lopez, J.S. | Rodiles, C.G. | Ruiz-Lopez, M.A. | Garzon-de la Mora, P.
Alfalfa has been used as animal feedstuff and nowadays as a human dietary supplement in undernourished populations. Therefore, we considered whether a 65 °C prepared unfractionated alfalfa protein concentrate (UAPC) could be capable of supporting the normal body growth of weaned rats as well as their spatial learning, memory and astroglial organization. Rats were fed isocaloric (1.8 kJ g-1) and isoproteic (100 g kg-1) diets for 28 days containing UAPC or casein as their protein source. Thereafter, animals were submitted to a Morris water maze test (MWM) followed by an evaluation of memory retention. At the end of the spatial learning tests, the cerebral cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus astrocyte population was morphologically and immunohistochemically analyzed. UAPC had two limiting essential amino acids that seem to have retarded rates of growth and caused temporary learning and memory alterations. The UAPC diet induced a transitory memory loss as well as a recoverable memory retention delay after returning to a commercial ration. The astrocyte cell number was decreased in the parietal cortex and arcuate nucleus but not in the hippocampus; however, the latter showed a minor reduction in their cell density. UAPC did not adequately support the development of weaned rats, and decreased the number of astrocytes in the cerebral cortex and hypothalamus.
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