Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a stress-associated mental disorder characterized by an imbalance of neurotransmitters in response to traumatic events or fear. Genistein (GEN), a natural isoflavone, has been shown to exhibit neuroprotective effects. Here, we used the Morris water maze (MWM) and object recognition task (ORT) tests to examine the effects of GEN on cognitive impairment in rats after exposure to single prolonged stress (SPS), and its interaction with the serotonergic system. After exposure to SPS, male rats received GEN (2, 4, and 10 mg/kg, i.p.) for 14 days. Daily GEN administration significantly improved cognitive function in the ORT and MWM tests. GEN treatment also inhibited SPS-induced decreases in serotonin (5-HT) levels in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. These increased 5-HT concentrations in response to GEN treatment could be partially attributed to the ratio of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid/5-HT in the hippocampus. Our findings suggest that GEN significantly attenuates SPS-induced memory deficits in rats and may represent an effective therapeutic option for the treatment of PTSD.

中文翻译：

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金雀异黄素通过激活5-羟色胺能系统预防创伤后应激障碍大鼠模型中的单一长时间的应激诱导的认知障碍。

创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）是一种与压力相关的精神障碍，其特征是在响应创伤事件或恐惧时神经递质失衡。Genistein（GEN），一种天然的异黄酮，已显示出神经保护作用。在这里，我们使用莫里斯水迷宫（MWM）和对象识别任务（ORT）测试来检验GEN对暴露于单一长时间应激（SPS）后大鼠认知障碍的作用及其与血清素能系统的相互作用。暴露于SPS后，雄性大鼠接受GEN（2、4和10 mg / kg，腹腔注射）治疗14天。每天进行GEN管理可显着改善ORT和MWM测试中的认知功能。GEN处理还抑制了SPS诱导的内侧前额叶皮层和海马中5-羟色胺（5-HT）水平的降低。响应GEN处理而增加的5-HT浓度可部分归因于海马体中5-羟吲哚乙酸/ 5-HT的比例。我们的研究结果表明，GEN可以显着减轻SPS诱导的大鼠记忆不足，并且可能代表PTSD的有效治疗选择。