Memory-enhancing effects of the leptin hormone in Wistar albino rats: sex and generation differences

Leptin is a hormone secreted by adipose tissue that informs the brain about the fat stores of the body. In this study, we examined the effects of timed leptin injections on spatial memory performances of adult and juvenile male and female Wistar rats with the Morris water maze test. We applied the injections and conducted the training trials for 4 days. On the fifth day after leptin injections, the experiments were performed. The activities were recorded and analyzed with the Noldus Ethovision Animal Video Tracking System. The results show that the spatial memory performance of the rats was improved by the leptin injections since they shortened the latency to find the platform and elongated the time spent in the correct quadrant. The age of the rats was found to be important since the adults found the platform faster than the juveniles. There was an interaction effect between sex and generation in all parameters examined except for the time spent in the correct quadrant. The results of the present study suggest that leptin administration via timed injections strengthens spatial memory in Wistar albino rats, but this effect depends upon the sex and the generation of the rats.