Objective: To analyze how changes in the levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and neuroglobin (NGB) affect learning and memory in rats with intracerebral hemorrhage.
Materials and methods: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into the control group, sham operation group and model group with 10 rats each. The rats in the control group were untreated, while those in the sham operation group were treated with sterile saline instead of type VII collagenase injection in the globus pallidus. The model of cerebral hemorrhage was established according to the methods described by Rosenberg. The expression of perihematomal BDNF mRNA was measured by Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-PCR) for 7 days consecutively. Perihematomal NGB-positive cells were detected by immunohistochemistry. The Morris water maze was used to test the spatial learning and memory of rats.
Results: Compared with the control group and sham operation group, the expression of BDNF mRNA and number of NGB-positive cells in the model group were significantly higher. Furthermore, the escape latency was significantly prolonged (p < 0.05). The NGB and BDNF mRNA levels and escape latency were positively correlated. The correlation coefficients were as follows: rs (NGB) = 1.1838 (p = 0.008); rs (BDNF) = 0.5948 (p = 0.012).
Conclusions: Cerebral hemorrhage significantly inhibited the spatial learning and memory ability of rats. The mechanism may be related to decreased cerebral expression of BDNF and NGB.