Comparison of the effects of dose-dependent zinc chloride on short-term and long-term memory in young male rats

• Published in: Pakistan journal of biological sciences Vol. 10; no. 16; pp. 2704 - 2708
• Main Authors: Moazedi, A A, Ghotbeddin, Z, Parham, G H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pakistan 15.08.2007
• Subjects: Animals; Avoidance Learning - drug effects; Avoidance Learning - physiology; Chlorides - pharmacology; Darkness; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Light; Male; Memory - drug effects; Memory, Short-Term - drug effects; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reaction Time - drug effects; Zinc Compounds - pharmacology
• ISSN: 1028-8880
• DOI: 10.3923/pjbs.2007.2704.2708

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of dose-dependent of zinc chloride on short-term and long-term memory in a shuttle box. Young Wistar rats (94+/-10 g) (age 27-30 days) consumed zinc chloride drinking water in five different doses (20, 30, 50, 70 and 100 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) for two weeks by gavage. After 14 days on experimental diets, a shuttle box used to test short- and long-term memory. Two criteria considering for behavioral test, including latency in entering dark chamber and time spent in the dark chamber. This experiment shows that after 2 weeks oral administration of ZnCl2 with (20, 30 and 50 mg kg(-1) day(-1)) doses, the rat's working (short-term) has been improved (p<0.05). Whereas ZnCl2 with 30 mg kg(-1) day(-1) dose has been more effected than other doses (p<0.001). But rat which received ZnCl2 with 100 mg kg(-1) day(-1), has been shown significant impairment in working memory (p<0.05) and there was no significant difference in reference (long-term) memory for any of groups. In general, this study has demonstrated that zinc chloride consumption with 30 mg kg(-1) day(-1) dose for two weeks was more effective than other doses on short-term memory. But consumption of ZnCl2 with 100 mg kg(-1) day(-1) dose for two week had the negative effect on short-term memory. On the other hand, zinc supplementation did not have an effect on long-term memory.