The effect of hydrogen sulfide on spatial learning and memory of adult male rats fed a high-fat diet in the Barnes maze

Cognitive functions and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) metabolism are impaired by high fat diet (HFD). Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the potential effect of sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) (as H2S donor) on spatial learning and memory in male rats fed with HFD.

After 11 weeks of normal and HFD diet with and without NaHS treatment (at doses of 3 and 5 mg/kg) in male rats, Barnes maze was used to assess memory and spatial learning.

During training days there were not significant differences in escape latency, traveled distance and the number of errors in finding the escape box between experimental groups. HFD and control + NaHS (5 mg) groups made significantly more errors on the test day (probe trial) than control rats. Also, the number of errors in the HFD animals with NaHS (5 mg) decreased compared to the HFD group alone.

Based on our observation, HFD has no significant effect on the acquisition of Barnes test but causes impaired memory retrieval. In addition, administration of NaHS reverses HFD-induced memory impairment. In control animals, the administration of NaHS increased the number of errors in the probe test, which may indicate the presence of memory deficits.
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