The Role of Gender on Memory in Cholestatic rats Gender, Memory and Cholestasis

This study was performed to investigate the effect of cholestasis on memory and the role of sex difference in this effect.

This experimental study performed at Gonabad University of Medical Sciences, male rats were divided into 4 groups of 8 (sham and 3 cholestatic groups) to investigate the effect of cholestasis (7, 14 and 21 days) on lateral memory. To evaluate the effect of sex difference on the memory of cholestatic mice, rats were divided into 6 groups of 8 (male and female sham, male and female gonadectomy, male and female cholestatic-gonadectomy). In the gonadectomy groups, the testicles and ovaries were surgically removed, in the cholestatic groups, the bile duct was closed, and in the sham groups, only surgical stress was received. A shuttle box was used to evaluate the passive avoidance memory. Data were evaluated by PRISM software and ANOVA test.

In the study of memory in male cholestatic groups during days 7, 14 and 21, after cholestasis, the mean latency of dark room entry in all three groups were significantly reduced (P <0.05) compared to the sham group. Also, in the male gonadectomy group, the mean delay time in entering the dark room compared to the sham group showed a significant decrease (P < 0.05). In male and female cholestatic-gonadectomy groups, this time was significantly reduced compared to male and female sham groups as well as male and female clastatic (P < 0.05, P < 0.001).

Based on these findings, it can be concluded that due to the sex difference in the effect of cholestasis on memory and learning, sex hormones may have some protective effect on memory impairment due to cholestasis.