Title : Probiotics and rTMS synergistically alleviate cognitive and motor deficits in 6-OHDA-induced parkinson’s disease rats
Abstract:
Introduction: Non-invasive repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) and probiotics intervention have been demonstrated to improve motor functions and alleviate cognitive deficits in 6-OHDA rat model of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Despite this, it is still unknown whether both interventions together will have a synergistic effect on the gut-brain axis. Hence, in this study we have investigated the combined effect of rTMS and probiotics intervention on cognitive and motor functions, neuronal survival, expression of neurotrophic factors along with morphology of enteric nervous system in bilateral 6-OHDA rat model of PD.
Material &Methods: Adult male Wistar rats (280-320gm) were subjected to bilateral i.c.v. 6-OHDA injection. After 1-week rTMS (10 Hz, 20 min/day) and probiotics (270 μL daily) were administered for 4 weeks. Pre and post-intervention motor and cognitive performances, morphology of the brain and gut and expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), BDNF, GDNF were examined.
Results: Except PD group, all groups showed improved memory (p≤0.05; PD vs all groups), motor behaviour ((p≤0.05; PD vs all groups) along with low anxiety (un-even number of entries in all arms in maze except PD group; p≤0.05; PD vs all groups) and improved gait. Cresyl violet staining revealed improved morphology of neurons in brain and Hematoxylin & Eosin staining showed increased number of neurons in enteric ganglion after intervention. Expression of all the beneficial factors (BDNF and GDNF) enhanced along with increased TH expression.
Conclusion: Our findings indicate that that the administration of probiotics and rTMS improves the motor and cognitive functions of rats with PD. Plausibly, probiotics synergistically with rTMS may facilitate the remodelling of the gut-brain axis thereby improving the function of dopaminergic neurons in PD. Thus, we suggest that the combination of probiotics and rTMS may be a promising regenerative therapeutic strategy for the treatment of PD by neuromodulation of the brain-gut axis.
