This study investigated the effects of ?-alanine\n(BA) ingestion on the behavioral and neuroendocrine\nresponse of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a\nmurine model. Animals were fed a normal diet with or without\n(PL) BA supplementation (100 mg kg?1) for 30 days.\nAnimals were then exposed to a predator-scent stress (PSS)\nor a sham (UNEX). Behaviors were evaluated using an elevated\nplus maze (EPM) and acoustic startle response (ASR)\n7 days following exposure to the PSS. Corticosterone concentrations\n(CS), expression of brain-derived neurotrophic\nfactor (BDNF), and brain carnosine concentrations were\nanalyzed a day later. Animals in PSS+PL spent significantly\nless time in the open arms and in the number of entries in\nthe EPM than PSS+BA, UNEX+BA, or UNEX+PL. Animals\nin PSS+BA had comparable scores to UNEX+BA.\nAnxiety index was higher (p < 0.05) in PSS+PL compared\nto PSS+BA or animals that were unexposed. ASR\nand freezing were greater (p < 0.05) in animals exposed to\nPSS compared to animals unexposed. CS expression was higher (p < 0.05) in animals exposed to PSS compared to\nunexposed animals. Brain carnosine concentrations in the\nhippocampus and other brain sections were significantly\ngreater in animals supplemented with BA compared to PL.\nBDNF expression in the CA1 and DG subregions of the\nhippocampus was lower (p < 0.05) in animals exposed and\nfed a normal diet compared to animals exposed and supplemented\nwith BA, or animals unexposed. In conclusion,\nBA supplementation in rats increased brain carnosine concentrations\nand resulted in a reduction in PTSD-like behavior,\nwhich may be mediated in part by maintaining BDNF\nexpression in the hippocampus.
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