MODULATORY ROLE OF N-ACETYL CYSTEINE ON LONG TERM MEMORY IN RODENT MODEL OF RESTRAINT STRESS

ABSTRACT Restraint stress has been one of the reasons for many cognitive deficits and variability and may also be the reason for increase in the rate of cognitive related disorders. In this study, the effect of N-Acetyl Cysteine in rodent model of restraint stress was investigated in. Twenty-four (24) rats (12 male and 12 females) were used for the study. Each sex was grouped into four making a total of three groups (Normal saline, restrain stress and Restrain Stress + N-Acetyl Cysteine groups, respectively). The novel object recognition test was used to evaluate long term memory. The latency the animal spent on the novel object in the NORT was taken as an index of long-term memory. The long term memory assessment yielded positive results, with increase in latency on the novel object especially in the group administered NAC. The males in the control and restraint stress group has lesser time spent on the familiar object than the females, while in the NAC group, the reverse was the case, although there was no statistical difference. This change may be due to the modulatory role of N-acetyl cysteine. In conclusion, this study found difference in cognition in long term memory in male and female rats treated with NAC.