# Effects of Vitamin E and Selenium-yeast on Cognitive Performance in Pregnant Dams Using Percentage Alternation and Discrimination Index Determinants

## Authors

- Okwute Michael Ochayi ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1468-5579)) — Physiology, Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Baze University, Abuja
- Bond Anyaehie ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5606-1780)) — Physiology, Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Baze University, Abuja
- Eghosa Iyare ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3678-3524)) — Physiology, Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Nigeria
- Ngabea Murtala ([ORCID](https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3035-8102)) — Medicine, Maitama District Hospital, Abuja

## Article information

- **Journal:** The Ulutas Medical Journal (Ulutas Med J), ISSN 2149-388X
- **Issue:** Volume 8, Issue 3 (2022), pages 86–92
- **Article type:** Original Article
- **Published online:** 2022-09-09
- **DOI:** [10.5455/umj.20220526102156](https://doi.org/10.5455/umj.20220526102156)
- **Licence:** [CC BY-NC 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/)
- **Article page:** https://www.ulutasmedicaljournal.com/?mno=48894
- **PDF:** https://www.ulutasmedicaljournal.com/pdf/48894.pdf

## Abstract

Introduction: Oxidative stress has been a hallmark in cognitive disorders; there is a need to mitigate it and a suitable model for cognitive assessment in rodents. This study investigates the effects of Vitamin E and Selenium yeast on the cognitive performance of pregnant dams using percentage alternation and discrimination index determinants. Materials and Methods: Thirty-five Wistar rats were used for this study and grouped into seven (n=5); group 1 (non-pregnant), group 2 (pregnant), group 3 (pregnant + received vitamin E; 100 mg/kg/day) group 4 (pregnant + received selenium-yeast; 0.4 mg/kg/day), group 5 (pregnant + received yeast; 50 mg/kg/day) group 6 (pregnant + received selenium; 0.25 mg/kg/day) and group 7 (pregnant + received vitamin E; 100 mg/kg/day + selenium-yeast; 0.4 mg/kg/day). Discrimination index was evaluated using novel object recognition, apparatus, while percentage alternation was evaluated using Y-maze on day 19. Results: Percentage alternation increased in group 1 and antioxidants treated groups respectively compared to group 2 (p˂0.05). Discrimination index significantly increased in group 1 and antioxidants treated groups compared to group 2 (p˂0.05). Conclusion: The percentage alternation and discrimination index show promising results in the cognitive assessment of pregnant dams. Antioxidant molecules such as vitamin E and selenium-yeast potentiate the indices of cognitive improvement.

## Keywords

Pregnant dams; discrimination index; percentage alternation; vitamin E; selenium-yeast

## How to cite

Ochayi OM, Anyaehie B, Iyare E, Murtala N. Effects of Vitamin E and Selenium-yeast on Cognitive Performance in Pregnant Dams Using Percentage Alternation and Discrimination Index Determinants. Ulutas Med J. 2022;8(3):86-92. doi:10.5455/umj.20220526102156

## References

1. Mody PH, Dos Santos NL, Lenert ME, Barron LR, Nottingham BA, Burton MD. The role of cap-dependent translation in aged-related changes in neuroimmunity and affective behaviors. Neurobiol Aging. 2021;1;98:173-84 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2020.10.014
2. Carton L, Niot C, Kyheng M, Petrault M, Laloux C, Potey C, L et al. Lack of direct involvement of a diazepam long-term treatment in the occurrence of irreversible cognitive impairment: a pre-clinical approach. Transl. psychiatry. 2021;3;11(1):1-0 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41398-021-01718-8
3. Seillier A, Giuffrida A. Disruption of social cognition in the sub-chronic PCP rat model of schizophrenia: possible involvement of the endocannabinoid system. Eur Neuropsychopharm. 2016;26(2):298-309 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2015.12.009
4. Kumar AA. Semantic memory: A review of methods, models, and current challenges. Psychon. Bull. Rev. 2021;28(1):40-80 https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-020-01792-x
5. Šimić G, Tkalčić M, Vukić V, Mulc D, Španić E, Šagud M, et al. Understanding emotions: Origins and roles of the amygdala. Biomol. 2021;11(6):823 https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11060823
6. Kipp BT, Nunes PT, Savage LM. Sex differences in cholinergic circuits and behavioral disruptions following chronic ethanol exposure with and without thiamine deficiency. Alcoh. Clin. Exp. Res. 2021;45(5):1013-27 https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.14594
7. Cleal M, Fontana BD, Ranson DC, McBride SD, Swinny JD, Redhead ES, et al. The Free-movement pattern Y-maze: A cross-species measure of working memory and executive function. Behav. Res. Meth. 2021;53(2):536-57 https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-020-01452-x
8. Liu Chung Ming C, Sesperez K, Ben-Sefer E, Arpon D, McGrath K, McClements L, et al. Considerations to model heart disease in women with preeclampsia and cardiovascular disease. Cells. 2021; 10(4):899 https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10040899
9. Wachholz GE, do Amaral Gomes J, Boquett JA, Vianna FS, Schuler-Faccini L, Fraga LR. Molecular mechanisms of Zika virus teratogenesis from animal studies: a systematic review protocol. Syst. Rev. 2021;10(1):1-7 https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-021-01713-6
10. Guerby P, Tasta O, Swiader A, Pont F, Bujold E, Parant O, et al. Role of oxidative stress in the dysfunction of the placental endothelial nitric oxide synthase in preeclampsia. Red. Biol. 2021;40:101861 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.redox.2021.101861
11. Perluigi M, Di Domenico F, Barone E, Butterfield DA. mTOR in Alzheimer disease and its earlier stages: Links to oxidative damage in the progression of this dementing disorder. Free Rad. Biol. Med. 2021;169:382-96 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2021.04.025
12. Gómez X, Sanon S, Zambrano K, Asquel S, Bassantes M, Morales JE, et al. Key points for the development of antioxidant cocktails to prevent cellular stress and damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) during manned space missions. Microgravity. 2021;7(1):1-9 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41526-021-00162-8
13. Ochayi OM, Anyaehie B, Iyare E, Haruna DU, Ivang, AE. Effect of Selenium-yeast on Cognitive Performance on Pregnant Dams Exposed to Noise Stress. Annu Res Rev Biol. 2022;69-74 https://doi.org/10.9734/arrb/2022/v37i130479
14. Zhang J, Zhou H, Li H, Ying Z, Liu X. Research progress on separation of selenoproteins/Se-enriched peptides and their physiological activities. Food Funct. 2021; 12(4):1390-401 https://doi.org/10.1039/d0fo02236e
15. Abdulmajeed WI, Sulieman HB, Zubayr MO, Imam A, Amin A, Biliaminu SA, et al. Honey prevents neurobehavioural deficit and oxidative stress induced by lead acetate exposure in male Wistar rats-a preliminary study. Metab. Brain Dis. 2016; 31(1):37-44 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11011-015-9733-6
16. Kilari EK, Rao LS, Sreemanthula S, Kola PK. Anti-stress and nootropic activity of aqueous extract of Piper longum fruit, estimated by noninvasive biomarkers and Y-maze test in rodents. Environ Exp Biol. 2015;13:25-31
17. Hammond R, Nelson D, Gibbs RB. GPR30 co-localizes with cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain and enhances potassium-stimulated acetylcholine release in the hippocampus. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2011;36(2):182-92 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2010.07.007
18. Ciubotariu D, Lupușoru RV, Luca E, Mititelu-Tarțău L, Lupușoru CE. Experimental research showing the reduction of naloxone-place aversion by oral zinc administration in rats. Biol. Trace Elem Res. 2017;180(1):127-34 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-017-0995-1
19. Jiang XM, Hu JH, Wang LL, Ma C, Wang X, Liu XL. Ulinastatin alleviates neurological deficiencies evoked by transient cerebral ischemia via improving autophagy, Nrf-2-ARE and apoptosis signals in hippocampus. Physiol. Res. 2018;67(4): 637-46 https://doi.org/10.33549/physiolres.933780
20. Brivio I, Bruggisser S, Maltoni F, Moutafis R, Plehn T, Vryonidou E, et al. O new physics, where art thou? A global search in the top sector. J. High Energy Phys. 2020(2):1-47 92 77 Vitamin E and Selenium-yeast Ochayi et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/jhep02(2020)131
21. Kheirkhah M, Yan Z, Nagai Y, Marsiglio F. First-and second-order topological superconductivity and temperature-driven topological phase transitions in the extended Hubbard model with spin-orbit coupling. Phys. Rev. Lett. 2020;125(1):017001 https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.125.017001
22. Fedosov A, Lampinen A, Odom W, Huang EM. A Dozen Stickers on a Mailbox: Physical Encounters and Digital Interactions in a Local Sharing Community. Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction. 2021;4:1-23 https://doi.org/10.1145/3432939
23. Huizink AC, De Rooij SR. Prenatal stress and models explaining risk for psychopathology revisited: Generic vulnerability and divergent pathways. Dev. Psychopath. 2018; 30(3):1041-62 https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954579418000354
24. Darnaudery M, Maccari S. Epigenetic programming of the stress response in male and female rats by prenatal restraint stress. Brain Res. Rev. 2008;57(2):571-85 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainresrev.2007.11.004
25. Yu C, Pan S, Zhang J, Li X, Niu Y. Ferulic acid exerts Nrf2-dependent protection against prenatal lead exposure-induced cognitive impairment in offspring mice. J. Nutr. Biochem. 2021;91:108603 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2021.108603
26. Safarpour S, Zabihi E, Ghasemi-Kasman M, Nosratiyan N, Feizi F. Prenatal and breastfeeding exposure to low dose of diethylhexyl phthalate induces behavioral deficits and exacerbates oxidative stress in rat hippocampus. Food Chem. Toxicol. 2021;154:112322 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fct.2021.112322
27. Rafiei S, Ravasi AA, Gaeini AA. The Effect of Eight-week Swimming Exercise and Gallic Acid on Hippocampal BDNF and Oxidative Stress Parameters in Trimethyltin Induced Cognitive deficits. Jorjani Biomed. J. 2021;9(1):55-68
28. Kumar M, Arora P, Sandhir R. Hydrogen sulfide reverses LPS-induced behavioral deficits by suppressing microglial activation and promoting M2 polarization. J. Neuroimmune Pharmacol. 2021; 16(2):483-99 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11481-020-09920-z