Research in effect of restraint stress (RS) currently includes various cellular, molecular, genetic, clinical, therapeutic approaches. Restraint stress and its modulation were studied for elevated plus maze (EPM) and its biochemical parameters with respect to antioxidants. Restraint stress (RS) for 1 hr reduced the number of open arm entries indicating enhanced anxiogenic response in the EPM test as compared to normal non RS group of rats. Pretreatment with vitamin B complex (100 and 200 mg/kg) group attenuated this RS induced effects. Furthermore, lipid peroxidation (enhanced MDA levels), a hallmark of oxidative tissue injury, has been found to be elevated in neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Hence it is thought that oxidative stress may be an underlying mechanism in AD, and agents that prevent oxidative damage may be particularly efficacious in the treatment of AD. MDA is sensitive marker for lipid peroxidation which suggests that RS induced neurobehavioral changes are probably associated with increased free radical generation. Biochemical data showed that RS enhanced MDA levels in serum and this were attenuated after pretreatment with the help of antioxidant. The pharmacological and biochemical results indicate that free radicals might be involved in such stress- induced neurobehavioral effects.
