The effect of arsenite on spatial learning: Involvement of autophagy and apoptosis.

Spatial learning plays a major role in one's information recording. Arsenic is one of ubiquitous environmental toxins with known neurological effects. However, studies investigating the effects of arsenic on spatial learning and related mechanisms are limited.

How sodium arsenite improve amyloid β-induced memory deficit?

Evidence has shown that arsenic exposure, besides its toxic effects results in impairment of learning and memory, but its molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. In the present study, we examined sodium arsenite (1, 5, 10, 100nM) effects on contextual and tone memory of male rats in Pavlovian fear conditioning paradigm alone and in co-administration with β-amyloid. We detected changes in the level of caspase-3, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB), cAMP response element-binding (CREB), heme oxygenase-1 and NF-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) by Western blot.

The involvement of protein kinase G inhibitor in regulation of apoptosis and autophagy markers in spatial memory deficit induced by Aβ.

The role of nitric oxide/protein kinase G (NO/PKG) in neurodegenerative disorders is controversial in different circumstances. PKG affects neurons both by itself and as a result of increased NO concentration. In this study, we examined the influence of PKG on spatial memory by intrahippocampal administration of three different concentrations of KT5823 as a PKG inhibitor.