Journals Proceedings

Abstract

Cerebrovascular disease risk including stroke is projected as the second most frequent cause for death/disability by year 2020. Preventive measures to minimize stroke related hippocampal cognitive impairment in high risk group gains least attention among health-care professionals. Several studies establish the critical importance of essential dietary components choline and Docosahexaenoic acid [DHA] as neuronal membrane phospholipid precursors that maintain cognitive states in health and in neurological disorders. There are no studies exploring the synergetic neuro-protective potential of choline and DHA in attenuating hippocampal neural deficits in stroke-risk group. The present study explores synergetic neuro-protective potential of choline and DHA supplemented to Wistar rats prior to hypo-perfusion ischemic brain injury. 10 month-old male Wistar rats were subdivided into 4 groups [n=8 /group]-Normal control group [NC], Bilateral common carotid artery occlusion group [BCCAO], Sham BCCAO group and Choline- DHA supplemented group [Prophylactic Choline-DHA BCCAO / preCholine-DHA group]. Choline and DHA were orally supplemented to preCholine-DHA group of rats for fifteen days prior and forty days subsequent to permanent surgical bilateral occlusion of common carotid arteries, inducing chronic global cerebral hypo perfusion injury. All groups of rats were tested for cognition and subsequently sacrificed to study hippocampal neural cells by cresyl staining. Microscopic examination of cresyl stained hippocampal sections from ischemic brain injured rats shows significant neural cell deficits in CA1, CA2, CA3 and CA4 regions compared to the same in age-matched sham BCCAO and NC rats. Supplementation of both Choline-DHA prior to ischemic stroke in rats significantly increased survival of neural cells in these regions as compared to the same in agematched non-supplemented BCCAO rats. Combined supplementation of both choline and DHA prior to ischemic brain injury in stroke-risk group, protects hippocampal neural cells and minimizes cognitive impairment.