The Biochemical and Behavioral Alterations Induced by Experimental Hyperthyroidism in Male Rats

Abstract

Neurological and psychological disorders are the main complications specifically associated with hyperthyroidism conditions. The current study attempted to evaluate hyperthyroidism-mediated neurological disorders, behavioral manifeastaions, and related oxidative stress scenarios in experimental male rats. Hyperthyroidism was induced by administering L-thyroxine sodium at a dosage of 240 μg/kg via gastric gavage for a duration of 20 days, once daily. A comparative analysis was conducted using a dosage of 10 mg/kg of the commonly used pharmaceutical drug "propylthiouracil" to assess its effects in relation to the hyperthyroid rats. A total of twenty-four adult male albino rats were selected and assigned to three groups using a random allocation method as follows; negative control, positive control and propylthiouracil groups. The findings indicated that the animal model of hyperthyroidism showed a notable rise in the levels of serum total T3, FT3, total T4, and FT3, alongside with a drop in serum TSH level. There was a significant alterations in the dopaminergic and cholinergic systems; Rats treated with L-thyroxine and propylthiouracil displayed significantly poorer performance in the Novel recognition memory task, demonstrating the occurrence of memory impairment in the hyperthyroidism state.