The effects of short-term nicotine administration on behavioral and oxidative stress deficiencies induced in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND We previously demonstrated that a 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) induced lesion of substantia nigra (SN), which is a very well known animal model of Parkinson's disease, resulted in memory deficits and increased brain oxidative stress. Also, recent reports had suggested that nicotine from smoke may contribute, at least in some parts, to the apparent neuroprotective effect of tobacco use in Parkinson's disease. SUBJECTS AND METHODS In this way, in the present study we were interested to examine the effects of low-dose nicotine administration (5 days, 0.3 mg/kg/day) in a rat model of Parkinson's disease, on behavioral parameters from Y-maze or shuttle-box task and also on the oxidative stress markers from the temporal lobe, which is one of the most vulnerable cortical area to oxidative stress effects. RESULTS The administration of nicotine resulted in significant improvements of short-term memory, as seen in the Y-maze task, as well an increase of conditioned avoidance responses and decreased number of escape failures in the shuttle-box task. Additionally, an increase in the specific activity of glutathione peroxidase and a decrease of the lipid peroxidation processes is reported. Moreover, we found a significant correlation between the behavioral results from the Y-maze and shuttle-box tasks and the levels of oxidative stress markers. CONCLUSIONS Taken together our data suggest that short-term administration of low-dose nicotine facilitates memory processes and improves the oxidative stress status of the brain, after a 6-OHDA induced lesion of the SN.