scholarly journals The Impact of Neonatal Methamphetamine on Spatial Learning and Memory in Adult Female Rats

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Petrikova-Hrebickova ◽  
Maria Sevcikova ◽  
Romana Šlamberová

The present study was aimed at evaluating cognitive changes following neonatal methamphetamine exposure in combination with repeated treatment in adulthood of female Wistar rats. Pregnant dams and their pups were used in this study. One half of the offspring were treated indirectly via the breast milk of injected mothers, and the other half of pups were treated directly by methamphetamine injection. In the group with indirect exposure, mothers received methamphetamine (5 mg/ml/kg) or saline (1 ml/kg) between postnatal days (PD) 1–11. In the group with direct exposure, none of the mothers were treated. Instead, progeny were either: (1) treated with injected methamphetamine (5 mg/ml/kg); or (2) served as controls and received sham injections (no saline, just a needle stick) on PD 1–11. Learning ability and memory consolidation were tested on PD 70–90 in the Morris Water Maze (MWM) using three tests: Place Navigation Test, Probe Test, and Memory Recall Test. Adult female progeny were injected daily, after completion of the last trial of MWM tests, with saline or methamphetamine (1 mg/ml/kg). The effects of indirect/direct neonatal methamphetamine exposure combined with acute adult methamphetamine treatment on cognitive functions in female rats were compared. Statistical analyses showed that neonatal drug exposure worsened spatial learning and the ability to remember the position of a hidden platform. The study also demonstrated that direct methamphetamine exposure has a more significant impact on learning and memory than indirect exposure. The acute dose of the drug did not produce any changes in cognitive ability. Analyses of search strategies (thigmotaxis, scanning) used by females during the Place Navigation Test and Memory Recall Test confirmed all these results. Results from the present study suggested extensive deficits in learning skills and memory of female rats that may be linked to the negative impact of neonatal methamphetamine exposure.

2013 ◽  
pp. S89-S98 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. MACÚCHOVÁ ◽  
K. NOHEJLOVÁ-DEYKUN ◽  
R. ŠLAMBEROVÁ

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of prenatal methamphetamine (MA) exposure and application of the same drug in adulthood on cognitive functions of adult female rats. Animals were prenatally exposed to MA (5 mg/kg) or saline (control group). The cognitive function was tested as ability of spatial learning in the Morris Water Maze (MWM). Each day of the experiment animals received an injection of MA (1 mg/kg) or saline. Our results demonstrated that prenatal MA exposure did not affect the latency to reach the hidden platform or the distance traveled during the Place Navigation Test; however, the speed of swimming was increased in prenatally MA-exposed rats compared to controls regardless of the treatment in adulthood. MA treatment in adulthood increased the latency and distance when compared to controls regardless of the prenatal exposure. Neither prenatal exposure, nor treatment in adulthood affected memory retrieval. As far as the estrous cycle is concerned, our results showed that prenatally MA-exposed females in proestrus/estrus swam faster than females in diestrus. This effect of estrous cycle was not apparent in control females. In conclusion, our results indicate that postnatal, but not prenatal exposure to MA affects learning of adult female rats.


1979 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 889-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian S. Zagon ◽  
Patricia J. McLaughlin ◽  
Carl I. Thompson

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazunori Sasaki ◽  
Noelia Geribaldi-Doldan ◽  
Qingqing Wu ◽  
Julie Davies ◽  
Francis G. Szele ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Much attention has recently focused on nutraceuticals which are widely used to promote health. In particular, nutraceuticals with minimal side effects have been developed for preventing or treating neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The present study was conducted to investigate the potential effect on neural development and function of the microalgae Aurantiochytrium sp. as a nutraceutical. Methods To test the neuroprotection of ethanol extract of Aurantiochytrium (EEA) and n-Hex layer of EEA (HEEA), amyloid-beta (Aβ)-stimulated SH-SY5Y cells was used for in vitro AD model. We then assessed the enhancement of neurogenesis of EEA and HEEA using murine ex vivo neurospheres. We also administered EEA or HEEA to SAMP8 mice, a non-transgenic strain with accelerated aging and Alzheimer’s-like memory loss for evaluation of spatial learning and memory using MWM test. Finally, we performed immunohistochemical analysis using mice brain fed with EEA for assessment of neurogenesis. Results Pre-treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with EEA or the squalene-rich fraction of EEA, n-Hex layer (HEEA), ameliorated Aβ-induced cytotoxicity. Interestingly, only EEA-treated cells showed a significant increase in cell metabolism and intracellular ATP production. Moreover, EEA treatment significantly increased the number of neurospheres, whilst HEEA treatment significantly increased the number of β-III-tubulin + young neurons and GFAP + astrocytes. SAMP8 mice were given 50 mg/kg EEA or HEEA orally for 30 days. Learning ability was assessed in the Morris water maze test. EEA and HEEA decreased escape latency time in SAMP8 mice, indicating improved memory. To detect activated stem cells and newborn neurons, we administered BrdU for 9 days and measured BrdU + cells in the dentate gyrus, a neurogenic stem cell niche of the hippocampus. In SAMP8 mice, EEA rapidly and significantly increased the number of BrdU + GFAP + stem cells as well as their progeny, BrdU + NeuN + mature neurons. Conclusions Our data in aggregate indicate that EEA and its constituents could be developed into a nutraceutical for promoting brain health and function against some age-related diseases including neurodegenerative desease, particularly AD.


1993 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 274-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Lúcia Severo Rodrigues ◽  
Maribel Antonello Rubin ◽  
Diogo Onofre Souza ◽  
Carlos Fernando De Mello

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanfeng Gao ◽  
Lingyu Zhang ◽  
Xia Wang ◽  
Lin Han ◽  
Xuan Xiao ◽  
...  

Abstract Stress, as an important environmental factor of mental health, cannot be ignored. The great physiological difference between males and females implies that the effects of stress may differ by gender. However, few studies have focused on the effects of stress on females. This study investigated the effects of a terrified sound stress on adult female mice.Methods: 32 adults female C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group (n=16) and stress group (n=16). Sucrose preference test and open field test (OFT) were carried out to evaluate the anxiety and depression of mice. Spatial learning and memory ability were measured by Morris Water maze test (MWM). Endocrine hormones were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum differential proteins were screened by mass spectrometry (MS). Results: Compared with control group, the sucrose preference of stress group was decreased; in MWM, the escape latency of the stress group was significantly prolonged (P<0.05), and the total swimming distance was significantly increased (P<0.05).Serum T (P<0.05), GnRH (P<0.05), FSH and LH levels decreased; thirty six differential peaks were found by MS, eight of them had high multiples of difference (> 1.2 or <0.8). Conclusion: terrified sound stress impairs spatial learning ability and mental health of adult female mice.


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