Curcumin reverses impaired cognition and neuronal plasticity induced by chronic stress.

Chronic stress occurs in everyday life and induces impaired spatial cognition, neuroendocrine and plasticity abnormalities. A potential therapeutic for these stress related disturbances is curcumin, derived from the curry spice turmeric. Previously we demonstrated that curcumin reversed the chronic stress-induced behavioral deficits in escape from an aversive stimulus, however the mechanism behind its beneficial effects on stress-induced learning defects and associated pathologies are unknown.