Aymane Lachhab | 2024 I.S. Symposium

Name: Aymane Lachhab
Title: The Effects of Benfotiamine on Glucose Metabolism in a 6-OHDA mouse model of Parkinson’s Disease
Major: Neuroscience
Minors: Biology; Computer Science
Advisors: Alfredo Zúñiga; Grit Herzmann

Previous studies have suggested that a decrease in glucose metabolism is a trademark of Parkinson’s disease. Prior investigations have indicated that benfotiamine is a possible form of treatment to upregulate glucose metabolism in multiple neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of benfotiamine on motor impairment in a 6-OHDA mouse model of Parkinson’s disease. Sixteen mice received 6-OHDA through stereotaxic injections in the striatum before getting a 200mg/kg/day of benfotiamine treatment for 3 weeks. Then, mice underwent the open field, pole test, and rotarod task to assess for motor impairment. Results show no significant difference in the motor tasks after benfotiamine treatment. Moreover, no significant difference was found in the pole test two weeks after the 6-OHDA injections. Yet, the results give valuable insight into the role of benfotiamine as a treatment for Parkinson’s and the relationship between motor impairment and concentration of the injected 6-OHDA. Future studies could investigate a longer treatment period, a different mouse model of Parkinson’s, as well as different motor tasks when testing for behavioral improvement.

Posted in Symposium 2024 on May 2, 2024.