Green Tea Extract Improves Olfactory Memory and Short-term Spatial Memory in Mice

Purpose To provide new ideas for the health-care function of green tea, the effect of green tea extract (GTE) on olfactory memory and short-term spatial memory were investigated in mice.Method The GTE group and the control group were orally administrated 2% GTE or pure water for 12 weeks. Odor discrimination apparatus were used to test the olfactory memory, and the inter-trail interval (ITI) were 40 or 80 min. Y-maze apparatus were used to test the short-term spatial memory, and the ITI were 1, 2, or 4 h.Results At 80 min ITI, GTE-treated mice, not the control mice, retained a memory of the odor that had been previously presented (P<0.05). At 4h ITI, GTE-treated mice showed significantly higher percentage of novel arm time than other two arms (P<0.01), and the percentage of novel arm time of GTE group was significantly higher than the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion Olfactory memory and short-term spatial memory were improved by long-term administration of GTE in mice, which suggested that green tea may be used for the prevention and treatment of olfactory disorder related diseases.