Abstract

Current evidence supports the notion that ?-amyloid deposits or A? intermediates may be responsible for the pathogenesis in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. In the present work, we have assessed the neuroprotective effect of the chronic intraperitoneal administration of a five-amino-acid ?-sheet breaker peptide (iA?5p) on the rat behavioral deficit induced by the intrahippocampal A?-fibrils injection. At 1 month after the injection, animals showed a partial reduction of the amyloid deposits formed and a decreased astrocytic response around the injection site. More importantly, we report that following the iA?5p treatment, hippocampal-dependent spatial learning paradigms, including the standard Morris water maze and a working memory analysis, showed a significant prevention from impairments induced by A? deposits in the dorsal hippocampus. Thus, it is possible that a noninvasive treatment such as the one presented here with ?-sheet breaker peptides may be used as a potential therapy for AD patients.