Quercetin ameliorates hypobaric hypoxia-induced memory impairment through mitochondrial and neuron function adaptation via the PGC-1α pathway

Purpose: Acute hypobaric hypoxia (HH) causes persistent cognitive impairment, affecting memory function specifically. Mitochondrial dysfunction and synaptic morphological change were the prominent pathological features of HH exposure on brain. Quercetin, a flavonoid found in fruits, vegetables, leaves and grains, is reported to prevent ischemia induced by neuronal injury. This study investigated the efficacy of quercetin to ameliorate HH-induced memory deficit. Methods: Rats were exposed to HH equivalent to 5000 m for 7 days in a decompression chamber and received quercetin daily (50, 75 or 100 mg/kg.bw) via gavage during the period of exposure. Cognitive performance was assessed by the Morris water maze test. In vitro, the effect of quercetin was tested in hippocampus tissue. Results: Quercetin, especially at 100 mg/kg.bw, significantly reduced HH-induced memory decline. Meanwhile, HH-induced hippocampus mitochondrial and synaptic lesions were ameliorated by quercetin. Furthermore, quercetin regulated the expression of sirtuin 1(Sirt1), PGC-1 alpha, and the proteins related with mitochondrial biogenesis and dynamics. Moreover, quercetin increased expression of fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (FNDC5) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), showing the PGC-1 alpha/FNDC5/BNDF pathways might be involved in neuronal adaptation. Conclusions: The results suggest quercetin has prophylactic potential for amelioration of HH-induced memory impairment, which is associated with the mitochondrial and neuronal adaptation in hippocampus.