ABSTRACT
Trypanosomiasis, a diseases in the Sub-saharan Africa; its neurodegeneration phase of is yet to be understood. This study was designed to investigate the effect of Trypanosoma brucei brucei on spatial memory, histology and expression of calbindin-d28k in hippocampus of wistar rats. Thirty adult (male) Wistar rats were categorized into two groups, control(six rats) and infected (24 rats). Group 2 was divided into 4 subgroups (6 rats/ subgroup). Group 1 served as control, group 2 was inoculated with 1x106 innoculum dose of the parasite. Parasitaemia was studied using wet blood smear preparation. Morphological observations were made using weighting scale, Vanier caliper, and digimizer 2.2. Blood parameters were studied using automated hematological analyser. Histological and histomorphometrical studies were done using H and E, toluidine blue and. Expression of calbindin d28k was observed using the immunohistochemistry study, the antigen/antibody technique. Spartial memory and learning was studied using Morris water maze method and latency time to find the hidden platform was recorded. These were done after 3days for group 2a, 7days for 2b, 14days for group 2c, 21days for group 2d and the control group. Innoculation of the parasite, over time, significantly induced parasitaemia; significantly affected blood parameters(leucopenia, anemia, lymphopaenia and neutropaenia); significantly reduced body weight, neuronal cell count and diameter; it caused distortion of the laminated hippocampal arraingement; it reduced the expression of calbindin d28k. Affected learning and memory by decreasing latency time over the research period.In conclusion, Trypanosoma brucei brucei infection has deleterious effects on body, blood, hippocampus, and expression of calbindin d28k, which was reflected in the decrease in spartial memory and learning of the Wistar rats.