The study of spatial working and reference memory in experimental model of multiple sclerosis after treatment with vitamin D3

The hippocampus, a vital center for learning and memory, is extremely vulnerable to neurological diseases.Several reports of cognitive and memory impairment have been published in patients with Multiple sclerosis (MS). The prevalence of MS is highest where environmental supply of vitamin D is low. In the present study spatial working memory and reference memory after treatment with vitamin D3was assessed in an experimental model of MS. For demyelination induction, 2µl lysolecithin was injected streotaxically into the CA1 area of hippocampusin male rat. Animals treated with vitamin D3,received 5μg/kg vitamin D3 for 14 and 21 days post lesion with intraperitoneal injection. Histological assessments of the demyelination process were done with specific myelin staining. The spatial working memory and reference memory were investigated by radial arm maze. Administration of lysolecithin as the inducer of MS disease caused demyelination and impairment of spatial working and reference memory at days 14 and 21 post lesion in lysolecithin treated animals. While the administration of vitamin D3 for 14 and 21 days caused improvement of spatial working and reference memory compared to the group receiving lysolecithin alone. It seems that treatment with vitamin D3 is able to prevent spatial working memory and reference memory reduction in an experimental model of MS. However, evaluation of beneficial effects of vitamin D3 on the spatial memory in MS patients, requires much more extensive clinical studies