High-Salt Diet Differentially Affects Anxiety-Depression-Like Behaviours and Cognitive Functions in Mice: Gender Difference
Abstract
Objective: Salt is a compound used for taste and flavor in the daily diet. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends salt consumption below 5g/day, the average worldwide is 15.24g. A high salt diet (HSD) causes cognitive impairment by increasing oxidative stress and inflammation. This study aimed to determine the effect of HSD on anxiety-depression-like behaviors and cognitive functions in female and male mice.
Materials and Methods: Twenty-eight mice (14 females, 14 males) were divided into four groups depending on gender (n=7): Male Control, Male HSD, Female Control, and Female HSD. Mice were fed an HSD for 16 days. Open-field (OFT), tail-suspension (TST), forced swimming (FST), and novel object recognition (NORT) tests were used. In addition, biochemical and histopathological analyses were made from brain tissues.
Results: Compared to their control in females with HSD, the time spent in the center (p<0.01) and the number of rearing (p<0.01) decreased in the OFT. Also, an increase in sedentary time in the TST (p=0.027) and; a decreased memory index (p<0.01) in the NORT, were determined. There was no difference in all tests in males with HSD compared to their control group. Oxidative stress increased in both genders (male: p=0.021, female: p<0.001) but was higher in females. Inflammation was increased in both genders. The damage to the brain region was increased in both genders, and this increase was more in females.
Conclusions: HSD affects female mice more through the cumulative effect of oxidative stress and inflammation, increasing depression and anxiety, and decreasing memory index.
Keywords
Anxiety, depression, cognitive, high salt diet, oxidative stress
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