The effects of increased blood pressure induced by phenylephrine on Morris water maze tasks in male and female rats

There is an evidence that the risk of hypertension as well as the senile cognitive dysfunctions due to hypertension are different between male and females. In the present study effects of increased blood pressure Induced by phenylephrine (PhE) on Morris water maze performance was compared between male and female rats. In this experimental study, 32 male and female rats were used. The animals were divided into four groups: groups 1 and 2: male and female controls which received saline, groups 3 and 4: male and female groups which received PhE (100µg/kg). PhE was infused for 5 min once a week. Time latency and traveled path length to find the hidden platform were compared between male and female rats treated by PhE and controls by using of spss software and unpaired t- test. Increased blood pressure induced by PhE was confirmed by a blood Pressure transducer and power lab system after the last session of Morris water maze. The latency and traveled path length in female rats that treated by PhE was significantly higher in comparison with their controls (P<0.05 and P<0.01) but there was no significant difference between male rats which were treated by PhE in compared to male controls. These results suggest that effects of increased blood pressure on spatial learning and memory in female and male rats are different