Objective To investigate the effect of fluoxetine on cognitive dysfunction and neuroinflammation in sepsis mice. Methods Sixty-nine SPF male C57BL/6 mice, aged 3-4 months and weighing 20-30 g, were divided into 3 groups using random number table: saline group (group NS), sepsis group (group S) and sepsis plus fluoxetine group (group SF), 23 mice in each group. An 8-channel linear in silico probe recording local field potential (LFP) was implanted in the CA1 region of the right hippocampal tissue to investigate changes in γ shock intensity, and a mouse model of sepsis was prepared according to the “two hits” theory. Sepsis mouse model was established according to the theory of “two-hits”. Liopolysaccharide (LPS) 3 mg/kg was injected intraperitoneally in groups S and SF, while group NS was injected with equal volume saline at the same time. One day later, groups S and SF were then randomly exposed to four stressors for 21 consecutive days. One week after LPS injection, group SF was given fluoxetine 20 mg/kg till the end of the behavioral tests. After the completion of the stress exposure, all mice were subjected to behavioral testing, and the test items included absenteeism experiment, Y-maze, novelty identification experiment, and sugar water preference experiment, the central region stay time and motion distance, Y-maze alternating rate, recognition index (RI) and γ shock intensity, sugar water preference rate were recorded. Mice were executed immediately after the sugar water preference test to obtain brain tissue. The concentrations of the IL-6, IL-1, IL-10 were detected by MSD. Results Compared with the group NS, the travel distance was significantly increased in group S (P < 0.05), the Y-maze alternation rate, RI, sugar-water preference rate and γ shock intensity in group S were significantly decreased (P < 0.05), the level of IL-6 in the hippocampus was significantly increased in group S (P < 0.05). Compared with the group S, the travel distance was significantly decreased in group SF (P < 0.05), the Y-maze alternation rate, RI, sugar-water preference rate and γ shock intensity in group SF were significantly increased (P < 0.05), the level of IL-6 in the hippocampus was significantly decreased in group SF (P < 0.05).There were no significant differences in the level of IL-6 and IL-10 in the hippocampus among the there groups. There were no significant differences between groups NS and SF. Conclusion Fluoxetine improves mouse behavior, reduces the expression of proinflammatory factors in hippocampal tissue and improves cognitive function in sepsis mice. |