Aim:
Metabolic syndrome is a complex and multifactorial disorder affecting a large part of the world’s population. Considering the fact that mitochondria plays an important role in energy metabolism and oxidative stress, which is one of the molecular mechanisms damaging different organs and tissues with metabolic syndrome, their functional changes are of certain interest.

Material and methods:
The experiments were conducted on non-linear laboratory albino male and female rats with the body weight of 0,220-0,250 kg. To create the pattern, the rats were kept on a high-fat diet with free access to fructose solution. Carbacetam was injected into the peritoneum in the dose of 5 mg/kg once a day during 14 days.

Results:
Simulated metabolic syndrome was found to manifest by a decreased light scattering and an increased relative rate of mitochondrial swelling in the hippocampal mitochondrial fraction; increased free radical lipid and protein oxidation with more marked changes in males. When rats with metabolic syndrome receive carbacetam during 14 days, in their mitochondrial fraction light scattering and relative rate of mitochondrial swelling decrease, both in males and females. The content of products reacting with 2-thiobarbituric acid and protein oxidative modification decrease, and catalase activity in males and females increases, superoxide dismutase activity increases in males only.

Conclusions:
Thus, a decreased intensity of mitochondrial swelling and improved condition of the antioxidant system of the hippocampal mitochondria of rats with metabolic syndrome irrespective of their sex is indicative of the effective correction of GABA receptors by means of carbacetam under conditions of the experiment.