Protective effects of L-carnitine against beta-amyloid-induced memory impairment and anxiety-like behavior in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common cause of dementia, leads to neurodegeneration and cognitive decline. We investigated the therapeutic effects of L-carnitine on cognitive performance and anxiety-like behavior in a rat model of AD induced by unilateral intracerebroventricular injection of (3-amyloid1-42 (A(3142). L-carnitine (100 mg/kg/day) was administered intraperitoneally for 28 consecutive days. Following this, the open-field test, novel object recognition test, elevated plus-maze test, Barnes maze test, and passive avoidance learning test were used to assess locomotor activity, recognition memory, anxiety-like behavior, spatial memory, and passive avoidance memory, respectively. Plasma and hippocampal oxidative stress markers, including total oxidant status (TOS) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), were examined. In addition, histological investigations were performed in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus using Congo red staining and hematoxylin and eosin staining. The injection of A(31-42 resulted in cognitive deficits and increased anxiety-like behavior. These changes were associated with an imbalance of oxidants and antioxidants in plasma and the hippocampus. Also, neuronal death and A(3 plaque accumulation were increased in the hippocampal dentate gyrus region. However, injection of L-carnitine improved recognition memory, spatial memory, and passive avoidance memory in AD rats. These findings provide evidence that L-carnitine may alleviate anxiety-like behavior and cognitive deficits induced by A(31-42 through modulating oxidative-antioxidant status and preventing A(3 plaque accumulation and neuronal death.