Effect of Taurine on Chronic Restraint Stress Induced Behavioural Deficits in Rodents

Abstract

Stress is an aversive stimulus capable of altering physiological homeostasis and the ability to cope with such stressful stimuli is a crucial determinant of health and disease. Taurine (2-aminoethanesulphonic acid) constitutes about 0.1 % of body weight, it is a sulphur-containing amino acid present in virtually all cells throughout the animal kingdom. It is an important ingredient used in energy drinks. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effects of taurine in preventing the restraint stress induced memory deficit in passive avoidance test, spatial learning, motor coordination and exploratory behaviour. Three different doses of taurine were administered (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg) to rodents subjected to chronic restraint stress (6 h/day for 21 days). The treatments were administered once daily by oral gavage. Twenty four Wistar rats were divided into four groups of six rats each also; twenty four mice were divided in to four groups of six mice each. Learning and memory in the chronic restraint-stressed Wistar rats was assessed using step down passive avoidance test, learning and memory in mice was assessed using elevated plus maze for memory, exploratory activity was assessed using hole board apparatus and motor coordination in mice was assessed using beam walk assay method. In the present study it was observed that taurine improved learning and short-time memory in chronic restraint-stressed rodents it also improved motor coordination and increased exploratory behaviour in mice.

Keywords: stress, taurine, deficit, exploratory, oral gavage, memory