The therapeutic potential of melatonin on neuronal function during normal ageing in male rats

Abstract

Background: Ageing is a common factor in the onset neuronal dysfunction and neurodegenerative diseases. Serum level of melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine), a free radical scavenger, reduces significantly during normal ageing and in neurodegeneration. 
Methods: To test the therapeutic potential of melatonin on function during normal ageing, we carried out an assessment of neuronal function in six months, nine months, twelve months and twenty-four months old male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats with 0.1mg/kg exogenous melatonin. Data was analyzed using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Student-Knewman Keuls post-hoc test.
Results: In six months old SD rats, melatonin treatment for two months restored motor function in the Chimney test. Furthermore, melatonin administration improved exploratory behavior and motor activity in ageing rats in the Elevated plus Maze (EPM) task. Finally, only 33% of melatonin treated rats had died at the termination of the experiment while all controls had 100% mortality.
Conclusion: Melatonin may be a beneficial therapeutic agent to improve neuronal function during normal ageing.

Keywords: Melatonin, neuronal function, motor function, normal ageing