Controversial Effects of Diverse Types of Toxoplasma gondii on the Anxiety-like Behavior and Cognitive Impairments in the Animal Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Background: Toxoplasma gondii is a neurotropic parasite with lifelong persistence in the host brain. Many researchers suggested toxoplasmosis as risk factor for development of Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, link between them has not been fully elucidated. Objectives: The present study was designed to investigate effects chronic infection Types I (RH), II (PRU), and III (VEG) strains alone combination on cognitive impairments rat model. Methods: Seven months after inoculation strains, AD induced bilaterally rats by injecting human amyloid beta 1-42 (Aβ1-42) peptide into brain hippocampus. Behavioral tests, including elevated plus maze (EPM) Morris water (MWM) were conducted 10 days induction. Results: Our findings showed that RH strain increased anxiety-like behavior EPM. In agreement EPM findings, infected exacerbated spatial learning disorders MWM test; it did affect memory. Conversely, PRU significantly enhanced without being able improve memory Improvement also observed VEG combination. Conclusions: Taken together, our suggest strain, well combination, can deficits Aβ1-42 rats, while plays detrimental role pathogenesis.