Therapeutic Potential of Phytochemicals: Lessons Learned from Streptozotocin-Induced Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease

Early sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (SAD) caused by abnormal glucose/energy metabolism and disrupted insulin signaling is associated with a brain insulinresistant state, which is the root cause of neurodegenerative changes. In preclinical studies, mainly in rodents, intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of streptozotocin (STZ) at subdiabetogenic doses leads to a perturbed brain insulinresistant state. Furthermore, ICV-STZ infused animals display memory loss, progressive cholinergic dysfunction, oxidative stress, impaired glucose metabolism, and neurodegeneration that are akin to the pathological changes in human SAD. Animal models which mimic many of these pathological features of human SAD play an important role to test the therapeutic potential of newer molecules including phytochemicals for the prevention and treatment of SAD. The present chapter aims to explore the cellular pathways involved in the ICV-STZ-induced model of SAD. Moreover, the therapeutic potential of phytochemicals which have been evaluated so far in the ICV-STZ animal model of SAD has been also included and appraised for their potential usefulness as possible molecules for pharmaceutical or dietary application in SAD.