Intermittent Hypoxia after Transient Focal Ischemia Induces Hippocampal Neurogenesis and c-Fos Expression and Reverses Spatial Memory Deficits in Rats
2011

Intermittent Hypoxia After Stroke Helps Memory in Rats

Sample size: 60 publication 10 minutes Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Tsai Yi-Wei, Yang Yea-Ru, Wang Paulus S., Wang Ray-Yau

Primary Institution: National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

Hypothesis

Does post-ischemia intermittent hypoxia improve memory and neurogenesis in rats?

Conclusion

Post-ischemia intermittent hypoxia can reverse memory impairments in rats by promoting neurogenesis and increasing c-Fos expression.

Supporting Evidence

  • Post-ischemia IH intervention improved spatial learning and memory in rats.
  • Increased neurogenesis was observed in the hippocampus after IH treatment.
  • c-Fos expression was significantly higher in rats receiving IH compared to those that did not.

Takeaway

After a stroke, giving rats some time with less oxygen helps them remember things better by making new brain cells.

Methodology

Rats underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion and were then treated with intermittent hypoxia or sham treatment for 7 days, followed by memory testing in the Morris water maze.

Potential Biases

Potential bias in the selection of treatment groups and the interpretation of behavioral results.

Limitations

The study was conducted on rats, and results may not directly translate to humans.

Participant Demographics

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, 8 weeks old.

Statistical Information

P-Value

p<0.001

Statistical Significance

p<0.001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1371/journal.pone.0024001

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