Interference of Recreational Intake of 1, 3, 7-Trimethylxanthine on Sensorimotor, Cognitive Functions and Fasting Blood Glucose in Wistar Rats

Abstract

1, 3, 7-Trimethylxanthine (Caffeine) is a natural alkaloid found in coffee beans, tea leaves, cocoa beans, cola nut etc. It is probably the most frequently ingested pharmacologically active substance in the world at large. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of recreational intake of caffeine (methyl-xanthine) on sensorimotor and cognitomotor functions and fasting blood glucose in rat model. In this study, a total of twenty (20) wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups. After three (3) weeks of acclimatization, caffeine was administered to the rats as follows; Group1 (control) received normal water, group 2 was treated with 0.4g/ml of caffeine, group3 – 0.8g/ml of caffeine, and group4 – 1.6g/ml of caffeine, all for a period of thirty (30) days. Opaque maze (memory), elevated maze (intelligent and anxiety), beam walking (learning) and swimming/climbing test (learning), were used to evaluate sensory, motor, and cognitive performances of the rats in both control group and treated groups. Also glucometer with fine test strips was used to determine the blood glucose level of the rats at day 1, day 5, day 10, 21 and 30 during the period of caffeine administration. Data was obtained and inferentially analysed using ANOVA (SPSS version 23). The result from this study showed that caffeine significantly (p < 0.05) interfered negatively with cognitive performance in the group treated with 1.6g/ml of caffeine and also significantly decreased blood glucose level in low dose treated group and increase blood glucose at higher doses. In conclusion, Caffeine was found to improve sustained cognitive functions at medium doses (0.8g/ml), sustained motor steadiness at low (0.4g/ml) and moderate doses (0.8g/ml) but at higher doses produced uncoordinated movement.