Fig. 4.

Melittin reversed cognitive impairment in scopolamine-treated mice. A Days 3–5, mice were allowed to swim freely for 100 s to find the platform. The escape latency time to target escape was recorded days 7 to 9. B The platform was removed, and mice were allowed to swim freely for 120 s. Platform crossing times in the probe test were recorded, the coverage position of where animals swam in each group was used to generate average heatmap of each group. C This shows the recorded Y-maze track of one representative animal from each group and spontaneous alternation percentage result. Behavioral score of mice were sharply enhanced by melittin treatment D Histochemical analysis revealed that the suppression of neurogenesis by scopolamine was significantly reversed by melittin. Areas marked with orange arrows indicate regions with depleted DCX, representing weakened neurons. The images display the hippocampal dentate gyrus, stained with a DCX antibody. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation. # p < 0.01 compared with the non-treatment group. * p < 0.05 compared with scopolamine group; ** p < 0.01 compared with scopolamine group. Measurements were carried out triplicated, total animal tested n = 5/group