The effect of dietary pectins on object recognition memory, depression-like behaviour, and il-6 in mouse hippocampi

People obtain pectins from plant foods. It has been shown that pectins change the concentration of cytokines. Numerous studies have demonstrated the influence of the immune system on the brain. Thus, we examined the effects of pectins on recognition memory, depression-like behaviour, spontaneous activity, the TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ concentrations, and the NF-κB, STAT3 and pSTAT3 protein levels in mouse hippocampi. Mice treated with pectins showed better recognition memory and an antidepressant-like effect. Pectins did not affect the spontaneous behaviour of the mice. Pectins increased the concentrations of IL-6 and IFN-γ in mouse hippocampi, and they decreased STAT3 and increased pSTAT3 protein levels. Our data demonstrate that pectins produce an improvement in memory and an antidepressant-like behaviour compared to control mice, and these effects may be at least partially due to their influence on the concentration of IL-6 and the activation of the JAK-STAT signalling pathway in mouse hippocampi.