Mounting evidence suggests that there is a close association between chronic
sleep deprivation (CSD) and cognitive deficits. The animal model of CSD-induced cognitive deficits is commonly used to seek potential treatments. Soy
isoflavones (SI) have been reported to possess
antioxidant, anti-
inflammation, and
neuroprotective effects. In the present study, the effects of SI on CSD-induced memory impairment were investigated. The mice were subjected to the sleep interruption apparatus and continuously sleep deprived for 2 weeks, while orally administrated with SI (10, 20, and 40 mg/kg) or
Modafinil (MOD,100 mg/kg) during the CSD process. Immediately after the SD protocol, cognitive performance of mice was evaluated by the object location recognition (OLR) test, the novel object recognition (NOR) test, and the Morris water maze (MWM) task, as well as the hippocampus, was extracted for evaluation of oxidative stress parameters and
inflammation levels through biochemical parameter assay and western blotting analysis. The results showed that SI administration remarkably improved the cognitive performance of CSD-treated mice in OLR, NOR, and MWM tests. In addition, SI significantly elevated total
antioxidant capacity and
superoxide dismutase enzyme activities, decreased
malondialdehyde level, promoting
antioxidant element nuclear erythroid-2-related factor 2, and its downstream targets, including
heme oxygenase 1, and
quinone oxidoreductase 1
protein expressions. Moreover, SI treatment significantly suppressed
nuclear factor kappa B p65,
nitric oxide synthase, and
cyclooxygenase 2 activation, as well as the pro-inflammatory
cytokines (
Tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α],
interleukin-6 [IL-6], and
interleukin-1β [IL-1β]) release in the hippocampus of CSD-treated mice. In summary, the current study provides an insight into the potential of SI in treatment of cognitive deficits by CSD.