Effects of dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance rat model on self-care behaviors and brain-derived growth factor.

Abstract

Insulin resistance (IR) is described as an impaired response to insulin stimulation of target cells. The present study was designed to investigate the impact of the dexamethasone-induced insulin resistance model on self-care behaviors and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). 16 adult Wistar albino rats were divided into control and IR groups (n=8). Dexamethasone was administered intraperitoneally, 1 mg/kg/day for 5 days to induce the IR model. Open field and splash tests were performed to evaluate locomotor activity and self-care-depression-like behaviors, respectively. BDNF was analyzed by ELISA in the striatum and prefrontal cortex. Shapiro-Wilk, Student T, and Fisher's exact test were used as statistical tests. Further, the relationship between HOMA-IR, BDNF, and total grooming behavior was also analyzed using the Pearson correlation test. Total distance traveled, grooming frequency and grooming time decreased in the IR group compared to the control group. Serum ALT, AST, glucose, insulin, and HOMO-IR values increased in the dexamethasone-applied group (p<0.05). BDNF decreased in the prefrontal cortex in the insulin resistance group (p<0.05). Striatum BDNF level decreased slightly but was insignificant (p<0.05). Degeneration of islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, tubular degeneration in the kidney, degeneration of hepatocytes, and mononuclear cell infiltration in the liver increased in the IR group compared to the control group (p<0.05). PFC-BDNF levels, total grooming, and HOMA- IR values displayed a significant correlation (0.05