Abstract

Background: Parkinson disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative affection. At the pre-symptomatic stage, the clinical manifestations are mainly cognitive. Aim and
Objective: Our study explores the effects of Voacanga africana (VOC) on cognitive disorders, more importantly on depressive troubles, in a mouse model (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6- tetrahydropyridine; MPTP) of PD.
Materials and Methods: We used albinos mice (n = 39) taken from the “Institut de Recherche et Développement” based in Dakar. These albinos mice were divided into two groups each composed of three lots. The first group was treated over 15 days (D) with VOC, water (W), and MPTP on D1 (L1: Control [no MPTP/W/ VOC]; L2: [MPTP D1 + W D1]; and L3: [MPTP D1 + VOC D1]). The second group was also treated over a period of 30 days. Mice were pretreated with distilled water (W) and VOC 15 days before induction of the disease [L4: Control (no MPTP/W/VOC); L5: (W D1+ MPTP D15); and L6: (VOC D1+ MPTP D15)]. After different protocols of treatment, we used tests to assess motor skills and depression among the selected animals. Tests were carried out weekly and the ANOVA test and the post-test Bonferroni allowed us to compare the average of the different groups.
Results: MPTP + VOC subjects were less depressed (P < 0.0001; D15) (P < 0.0001; D30) and had better sensorimotor coordination (P < 0.001; D15) than MPTP + W subjects regardless of the period. Conclusion: These preliminary results could confirm our hypothesis that the VOC has antidepressant effect and potentially a positive effect on motor performance in the presymptomatic stage of PD.