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Mieske P, Hobbiesiefken U, Fischer-Tenhagen C, Heinl C, Hohlbaum K, Kahnau P, Meier J, Wilzopolski J, Butzke D, Rudeck J, Lewejohann L, Diederich K. Bored at home?—A systematic review on the effect of environmental enrichment on the welfare of laboratory rats and mice. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:899219. [PMID: 36061113 PMCID: PMC9435384 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.899219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Boredom is an emotional state that occurs when an individual has nothing to do, is not interested in the surrounding, and feels dreary and in a monotony. While this condition is usually defined for humans, it may very well describe the lives of many laboratory animals housed in small, barren cages. To make the cages less monotonous, environmental enrichment is often proposed. Although housing in a stimulating environment is still used predominantly as a luxury good and for treatment in preclinical research, enrichment is increasingly recognized to improve animal welfare. To gain insight into how stimulating environments influence the welfare of laboratory rodents, we conducted a systematic review of studies that analyzed the effect of enriched environment on behavioral parameters of animal well–being. Remarkably, a considerable number of these parameters can be associated with symptoms of boredom. Our findings show that a stimulating living environment is essential for the development of natural behavior and animal welfare of laboratory rats and mice alike, regardless of age and sex. Conversely, confinement and under-stimulation has potentially detrimental effects on the mental and physical health of laboratory rodents. We show that boredom in experimental animals is measurable and does not have to be accepted as inevitable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Mieske
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Ute Hobbiesiefken
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Carola Fischer-Tenhagen
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Céline Heinl
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Katharina Hohlbaum
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Pia Kahnau
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Jennifer Meier
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Jenny Wilzopolski
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Butzke
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Juliane Rudeck
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
| | - Lars Lewejohann
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
- Institute of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior and Laboratory Animal Science, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kai Diederich
- German Center for the Protection of Laboratory Animals (Bf3R), German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), Berlin, Germany
- *Correspondence: Kai Diederich
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2
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Dandi E, Spandou E, Tata DA. Investigating the role of environmental enrichment initiated in adolescence against the detrimental effects of chronic unpredictable stress in adulthood: Sex-specific differences in behavioral and neuroendocrinological findings. Behav Processes 2022; 200:104707. [PMID: 35842198 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2022.104707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Environmental Enrichment (EE) improves cognitive function and enhances brain plasticity, while chronic stress increases emotionality, impairs learning and memory, and has adverse effects on brain anatomy and biochemistry. We explored the beneficial role of environmental enrichment initiated in adolescence against the negative outcomes of Chronic Unpredictable Stress (CUS) during adulthood on emotional behavior, cognitive function, as well as somatic and neuroendocrine markers in both sexes. Adolescent Wistar rats housed either in enriched or standard housing conditions for 10 weeks. On postnatal day 66, a subgroup from each housing condition was daily exposed to a 4-week stress protocol. Following stress, adult rats underwent behavioral testing to evaluate anxiety, exploration/locomotor activity, depressive-like behavior and spatial learning/memory. Upon completion of behavioral testing, animals were exposed to a 10-m stressful event to test the neuroendocrine response to acute stress. CUS decreased body weight gain and increased adrenal weight. Some stress-induced behavioral adverse effects were sex-specific since learning impairments were limited to males while depressive-like behavior to females. EE housing protected against CUS-related behavioral deficits and body weight loss. Exposure to CUS affected the neuroendocrine response of males to acute stress as revealed by the increased corticosterone levels. Our findings highlight the significant role of EE in adolescence as a protective factor against the negative effects of stress and underline the importance of inclusion of both sexes in animal studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Dandi
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Evangelia Spandou
- Laboratory of Experimental Physiology, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Despina A Tata
- Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience, School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece.
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3
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Rojas-Carvajal M, Chinchilla-Alvarado J, Brenes JC. Muscarinic regulation of self-grooming behavior and ultrasonic vocalizations in the context of open-field habituation in rats. Behav Brain Res 2021; 418:113641. [PMID: 34756999 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Laboratory rats repeatedly exposed to an open field (OF) apparatus display increasingly high levels of grooming -especially that characterized by long and complex sequences- which has been taken as an additional index of novelty habituation. We hypothesized that disrupting such a learning process by administering an amnesic drug as the antimuscarinic scopolamine (SCP) could delay the appearance of more complex grooming subtypes. Thus, rats were pretreated either with SCP (15 mg/kg or 30 mg/kg) or vehicle (VEH) upon four one-day apart OF (OF1-4). On a fifth assessment, all rats received VEH to analyze the likely carry-over effect of SCP. Finally, we measured 50-kHz and 22-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) as reliable markers of positive and negative emotionality, respectively. We found that SCP increased locomotion during OF1 and reduced rearing on OF1-OF4, causing no disruption in habituation over tests. SCP prevented the increase of total grooming time by inhibiting complex grooming subtypes and promoting short cephalic sequences. Despite the SCP-induced alterations on grooming agreed with our hypotheses, those changes may have resulted from a motor impairment that could have also affected rearing behavior. Additionally, SCP suppressed 50-kHz USVs while marginally increased 22-kHz calls. Once SCP was withdrawn, rearing, grooming, and some 50-kHz USVs subtypes returned to VEH levels, suggesting that novelty habituation occurred despite the SCP administration. Altogether, that mixed profile of SCP-induced behavioral changes may derive from the complex interplay between the contrasting action of SCP on different brain regions and the doses here used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mijail Rojas-Carvajal
- Neuroscience Research Center, University of Costa Rica, Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica; Institute for Psychological Research, University of Costa Rica, Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica.
| | - Jimmy Chinchilla-Alvarado
- Neuroscience Research Center, University of Costa Rica, Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica; Institute for Psychological Research, University of Costa Rica, Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica.
| | - Juan C Brenes
- Neuroscience Research Center, University of Costa Rica, Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica; Institute for Psychological Research, University of Costa Rica, Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica.
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4
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Baicalein 5,6-Dimethyl Ether Prevents Memory Deficits in the Scopolamine Zebrafish Model by Regulating Cholinergic and Antioxidant Systems. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10061245. [PMID: 34207381 PMCID: PMC8233988 DOI: 10.3390/plants10061245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Baicalein 5,6-dimethyl ether, a bioactive flavonoid isolated for the first time from Alnus rugosa, was explored for its capability to relieve memory deficits and decrease oxidative stress. We examined the neuropharmacological effects of baicalein 5,6-dimethyl ether on scopolamine (Sco)-induced zebrafish (Danio rerio) anxiety, amnesia, and brain oxidative stress and attempted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Anxiety-like behavior, exploratory behavior, and memory performance were measured using novel tank-diving test (NTT), Y-maze, and novel object recognition (NOR) tests. For 10 days, baicalein 5,6-dimethyl ether (1, 3, and 5 µg/L) was administered through immersion, whereas Sco (100 μM) was delivered 30 min before behavioral tests. Treatment with baicalein 5,6-dimethyl ether reduced anxiety and memory impairment, and increased exploratory behavior in specific tests, along with significant protection from neuronal oxidative stress in the brain tissue of Sco-treated zebrafish. Antioxidant and anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities of baicalein 5,6-dimethyl ether in the Sco-induced zebrafish were further confirmed using in vivo assays. In Sco-treated zebrafish, baicalein 5,6-dimethyl ether regulated cholinergic function by inhibiting AChE activity. Baicalein 5,6-dimethyl ether may be a promising candidate compound for treating anxiety and amnesia by restoring cholinergic activity and reducing brain oxidative stress, according to our findings.
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5
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Lockington MR, Hughes RN. Effects of olanzapine on anxiety-related behaviour in male and female rats assessed after 21-24 and 42-45 days of chronic treatment. Behav Pharmacol 2021; 32:194-211. [PMID: 33229894 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Olanzapine can decrease anxiety and impair memory, but there is limited information about length of treatment or sex differences in its effectiveness. Therefore, effects of 21-24 and 41-45 days of treatment and sex differences on anxiety-related behaviour and spatial memory were assessed in PVG/c (PVG/c is the internationally recognised way of referring to this rat strain) male and female rats. From 70 days after birth (PND70), all rats received no drug or 6, 11 or 15 mg/kg/day olanzapine via drinking water. From PND91, they were given four daily tests in an open field, light-dark box, zero maze and Y maze, and then again 21 days later from PND112. At PND91-94, all olanzapine doses decreased open-field ambulation and walking, and 6 and 15 mg/kg/day decreased rearing, increased immobility while 15 mg/kg/day decreased shuttles in the light/dark box (all suggesting higher anxiety). At PND112-115, 11 mg/kg/day increased open-field ambulation, walking, rearing, centre occupancy and light/dark-box shuttles and light-side entries while decreasing open-field immobility and corner occupancy (all suggesting lower anxiety). There were also several results in the open field and light/dark box suggesting olanzapine decreased anxiety for males but increased it for females. A significant olanzapine-related preference for the novel Y-maze arm either improved spatial memory, or decreased anxiety. Olanzapine thus appeared anxiogenic after 21 days' treatment, becoming anxiolytic after 42 days. This could depend on the sex of the rats (females more responsive to lower doses), and the dose (11 mg/kg/day being most effective). Therefore, while olanzapine was generally anxiolytic, it also had some treatment length- and sex-related anxiogenic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly R Lockington
- School of Psychology Speech and Hearing, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
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6
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Sakhaie N, Sadegzadeh F, Mohammadnia A, Dadkhah M, Saadati H. Sex-dependent effects of postweaning exposure to an enriched environment on novel objective recognition memory and anxiety-like behaviors: The role of hippocampal BDNF level. Int J Dev Neurosci 2020; 80:396-408. [PMID: 32416621 DOI: 10.1002/jdn.10038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 05/02/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to enriched environment (EE) has been indicated to enhance cognitive functions, hippocampal neural plasticity, neurogenesis, long-term potentiation, and levels of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in laboratory animals. Also, studies on the sex-dependent effects of exposure to EE during adolescence on adult cognitive functions are less. This is important because the beneficial effects of EE may be predominant in the adolescence stage. Therefore, the present study was designed to compare the effects of EE during adolescence (PND21-PND60) on novel objective recognition memory (NORM), anxiety-like behaviors, and hippocampal BDNF mRNA level in the adult male and female rats. Assessment of NORM and anxiety-like behaviors has been done by novel objective recognition task, open field (OF), and elevated plus maze (EPM), respectively. The expression of BDNF mRNA level was also evaluated by quantitative RT-PCR. Our findings demonstrated that housing in the EE during adolescence improves NORM in adult male rats. Also, exposure to EE during adolescence had a different effect on anxiety-like behaviors in both sexes. Additionally, our results indicated an augmented BDNF level in the hippocampus of male and female rats. In conclusion, adolescent exposure to EE has sex-dependent effects on cognitive functions and anxiety-like behaviors and increases BDNF mRNA expression in the hippocampus of both male and female rats; thus, BDNF is an important factor that can mediate the beneficial effects of EE and running exercise on cognitive functions and psychiatric traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nona Sakhaie
- Faculty of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Farshid Sadegzadeh
- Faculty of Medicine, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Alireza Mohammadnia
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Basic Sciences, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Masoumeh Dadkhah
- Pharmaceutical Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
| | - Hakimeh Saadati
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
- Physiological Studies Research Center, Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran
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7
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Kiffer F, Alexander T, Anderson J, Groves T, McElroy T, Wang J, Sridharan V, Bauer M, Boerma M, Allen A. Late Effects of 1H + 16O on Short-Term and Object Memory, Hippocampal Dendritic Morphology and Mutagenesis. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:96. [PMID: 32670032 PMCID: PMC7332779 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The space extending beyond Earth’s magnetosphere is subject to a complex field of high-energy charged nuclei, which are capable of traversing spacecraft shielding and human tissues, inducing dense ionization events. The central nervous system is a major area of concern for astronauts who will be exposed to the deep-space radiation environment on a mission to Mars, as charged-particle radiation has been shown to elicit changes to the dendritic arbor within the hippocampus of rodents, and related cognitive-behavioral deficits. We exposed 6-month-old male mice to whole-body 1H (0.5 Gy; 150 MeV/n; 18–19 cGy/minute) and an hour later to 16O (0.1Gy; 600 MeV/n; 18–33 Gy/min) at NASA’s Space Radiation Laboratory as a galactic cosmic ray-relevant model. Animals were housed with bedding which provides cognitive enrichment. Mice were tested for cognitive behavior 9 months after exposure to elucidate late radiation effects. Radiation induced significant deficits in novel object recognition and short-term spatial memory (Y-maze). Additionally, we observed opposing morphological differences between the mature granular and pyramidal neurons throughout the hippocampus, with increased dendritic length in the dorsal dentate gyrus and reduced length and complexity in the CA1 subregion of the hippocampus. Dendritic spine analyses revealed a severe reduction in mushroom spine density throughout the hippocampus of irradiated animals. Finally, we detected no general effect of radiation on single-nucleotide polymorphisms in immediate early genes, and genes involved in inflammation but found a higher variant allele frequency in the antioxidants thioredoxin reductase 2 and 3 loci.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frederico Kiffer
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Tyler Alexander
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Julie Anderson
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Thomas Groves
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Taylor McElroy
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Jing Wang
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Vijayalakshmi Sridharan
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Michael Bauer
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Marjan Boerma
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
| | - Antiño Allen
- Division of Radiation Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.,Neurobiology & Developmental Sciences, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States
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8
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Bagci E, Akbaba E, Maniu C, Ungureanu E, Hritcu L. Evaluation of antiamnesic activity of Salvia multicaulis essential oil on scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats: in vivo and in silico approaches. Heliyon 2019; 5:e02223. [PMID: 31440590 PMCID: PMC6698886 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Revised: 04/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Plants of genus Salvia have been used in folk medicine for wound healing, in the alleviation of stomach, liver, and rheumatism pains, as antioxidant, cognitive-enhancer, sedative and antiseptic, stimulant and tonic agents. The present study aimed to evaluate whether Salvia multicaulis essential oil (1% and 3%) administered for 21 days attenuates cognitive deficits and exhibits anxiolytic and antidepressant-profile in the scopolamine-induced amnesia in rats. Rats were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6): (1) control, (2) scopolamine (Sco, 0.7 mg/kg) (3, 4) S. multicaulis essential oil treatment groups (SEO, 1% and 3%), (5) diazepam (DIAZ, 1.5 mg/kg) and (6) tramadol (TRM, 10 mg/kg). To establish an animal model of amnesia, Sco (0.7 mg/kg), a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist, was injected into male Wistar rats. Y-maze (memory), radial arm-maze (memory), elevated plus-maze (anxiety), and forced swimming (depression) tests were employed. Molecular interactions of chemical compounds from the essential oil with the GABAA receptor was explored via molecular docking experiments. Using behavioral tests, we demonstrated that inhalation of S. multicaulis essential oil exerts significant antiamnesic activity as well as anxiolytic-antidepressant-like effects in the Sco-treated rats. Our data revealed that S. multicaulis oil could act as a promising phytopharmaceutical agent for improving dementia-related abnormalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eyup Bagci
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Firat University, 23119, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Emel Akbaba
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Firat University, 23119, Elazig, Turkey
| | - Calin Maniu
- Department of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Bd. Carol I, No.11, Iasi, 700506, Romania
| | - Eugen Ungureanu
- Department of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Bd. Carol I, No.11, Iasi, 700506, Romania
| | - Lucian Hritcu
- Department of Biology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Bd. Carol I, No.11, Iasi, 700506, Romania
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9
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Dixon EI, Hughes RN. Treatment with 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) during adolescence of male and female hooded rats exposed to environmental enrichment: Subsequent behavioral outcomes. Int J Dev Neurosci 2018; 73:32-40. [PMID: 30590115 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdevneu.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
From 30 days after birth until the completion of the study, male and female rats were caged in same-sexed twos or threes either with (enriched cages, EC) or without several objects for them to explore (standard cages, SC). From 41 to 50 days of age (late adolescence), they received a daily intraperitoneal injection of saline, or 10 or 20 mg/kg of the monoaminergic agonist drug of abuse, 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP). Ten days later (PND60+), their behavior was observed over several days in an open field, an elevated plus maze, a light-dark box and (to assess short-term memory) a Y maze in which one of the arms had been changed in brightness between two trials. These tests were repeated from 40 days after PND60+, namely PND100+. While open-arm occupancy at PND100+ in the plus maze was lower following both doses of the drug for SC rats only, other examples of BZP-related heightened anxiety were confined to EC rats. This suggested that enrichment had enhanced rather than reduced any anxiogenic effects of the drug treatment. There was no plausible evidence of BZP-associated impaired spatial memory required to recognize the changed novel Y-maze arm. Instead, changes in novelty preferences or neophobia-related anxiety were most likely. While there were also some examples of sex and age differences in the later effects of BZP, in most cases these were evident at both ages following treatment with both BZP doses. A number of overall BZP, cage, sex and age differences, independent of enrichment effects, were also observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen I Dixon
- Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Robert N Hughes
- Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
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10
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Dos Santos MM, de Macedo GT, Prestes AS, Loro VL, Heidrich GM, Picoloto RS, Rosemberg DB, Barbosa NV. Hyperglycemia elicits anxiety-like behaviors in zebrafish: Protective role of dietary diphenyl diselenide. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 85:128-135. [PMID: 29723547 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disease that may comorbid with various psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety and depression. The search for effective therapeutics to alleviate hyperglycemia and complications resulting from DM is continuous. Here we investigate the effects of diphenyl diselenide (DD), an organoselenium compound with several pharmacological properties, in a zebrafish model of hyperglycemia. Fish were fed for 74 days with a diet containing 3 mg/Kg DD, a concentration chosen after experiments based in a dose-response curve (DD 1, 2 and 3 mg/Kg) that did not cause overt toxicity (mortality, weight loss and neurobehavioral deficits). In the last 14 days of the experimental period, fish were concomitantly exposed to a glucose solution (111 mM). Afterwards, blood glucose levels, brain selenium (Se) content, and behavioral analysis aiming to assess anxiety-like behaviors and locomotor/exploratory activities were performed. In the novel tank diving test, glucose decreased vertical exploration and fish spent less time in the lit area when tested in the light-dark test, suggesting increased anxiety-like behavior. Moreover, DD decreased blood glucose levels in hyperglycemic fish as well as prevented the development of anxiety-related symptoms. DD diet alone did not change glycemia and behavioral parameters, but increased Se levels in the brain without affecting the cellular viability. Collectively, our findings highlight the growing utility of this zebrafish hyperglycemia model as a valuable strategy for further research in DM field and neuroprotective approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus M Dos Santos
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, 1000, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Gabriel T de Macedo
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, 1000, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Alessandro S Prestes
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, 1000, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Vânia L Loro
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, 1000, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Graciela M Heidrich
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, 1000, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Rochele S Picoloto
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, 1000, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Denis B Rosemberg
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, 1000, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Laboratório de Neuropsicobiologia Experimental, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, 1000, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil; Zebrafish Neuroscience Research Consortium (ZNRC), 309 Palmer Court, Slidell, LA 70458, USA
| | - Nilda V Barbosa
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Bioquímica Toxicológica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Avenida Roraima, 1000, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
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11
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Hamilton TJ, Morrill A, Lucas K, Gallup J, Harris M, Healey M, Pitman T, Schalomon M, Digweed S, Tresguerres M. Establishing zebrafish as a model to study the anxiolytic effects of scopolamine. Sci Rep 2017; 7:15081. [PMID: 29118373 PMCID: PMC5678162 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-15374-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Scopolamine (hyoscine) is a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist that has traditionally been used to treat motion sickness in humans. However, studies investigating depressed and bipolar populations have found that scopolamine is also effective at reducing depression and anxiety symptoms. The potential anxiety-reducing (anxiolytic) effects of scopolamine could have great clinical implications for humans; however, rats and mice administered scopolamine showed increased anxiety in standard behavioural tests. This is in direct contrast to findings in humans, and complicates studies to elucidate the specific mechanisms of scopolamine action. The aim of this study was to assess the suitability of zebrafish as a model system to test anxiety-like compounds using scopolamine. Similar to humans, scopolamine acted as an anxiolytic in individual behavioural tests (novel approach test and novel tank diving test). The anxiolytic effect of scopolamine was dose dependent and biphasic, reaching maximum effect at 800 µM. Scopolamine (800 µM) also had an anxiolytic effect in a group behavioural test, as it significantly decreased their tendency to shoal. These results establish zebrafish as a model organism for studying the anxiolytic effects of scopolamine, its mechanisms of action and side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trevor J Hamilton
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, T5J 4S2, Canada. .,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada.
| | - Adam Morrill
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - Kayla Lucas
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - Joshua Gallup
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - Megan Harris
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - Meghan Healey
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - Taylor Pitman
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - Melike Schalomon
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - Shannon Digweed
- Department of Psychology, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB, T5J 4S2, Canada
| | - Martin Tresguerres
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
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Hughes RN, Hancock NJ. Strain-dependent effects of acute caffeine on anxiety-related behavior in PVG/c, Long–Evans and Wistar rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2016; 140:51-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2015.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Revised: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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13
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Gray VC, Hughes RN. Drug-, dose- and sex-dependent effects of chronic fluoxetine, reboxetine and venlafaxine on open-field behavior and spatial memory in rats. Behav Brain Res 2014; 281:43-54. [PMID: 25523028 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.12.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Revised: 12/07/2014] [Accepted: 12/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In an effort to address the need to include both sexes in studies of effects of the SSRI fluoxetine, the NRI reboxetine and the SNRI venlafaxine on anxiety-related behavior and memory along with the use of chronic drug administration, male and female PVG/c rats were fed diets containing two doses of each drug for 21 days. The rats' anxiety level was then assessed in an open field. Short-term spatial memory for a brightness change in a Y maze was also measured. While there was little evidence of anxiolytic effects of any of the drugs, both fluoxetine and, to a lesser extent, venlafaxine appeared to be mainly anxiogenic in their action depending on both dose and sex. Reboxetine was relatively ineffective in this respect. Ability to locate the Y-maze arm that had changed (from white to black) seemed to be impaired for male (but not female) rats by both fluoxetine and venlafaxine and, to a much lesser extent, by reboxetine. Given the relative ineffectiveness of reboxetine in either test, it is possible that the effects of the other two drugs on both anxiety and memory were mainly due to their serotonin reuptake inhibiting properties. The differences that occurred between males and females in responsiveness to all three drugs supported the long-held view that both sexes should be investigated in studies of this sort, especially in view of reports of sex differences in effects of clinically prescribed antidepressants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa C Gray
- Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Robert N Hughes
- Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
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Evidence for anxiolytic effects of acute caffeine on anxiety-related behavior in male and female rats tested with and without bright light. Behav Brain Res 2014; 271:7-15. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2014] [Revised: 05/09/2014] [Accepted: 05/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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15
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Hescham S, Temel Y, Casaca-Carreira J, Arslantas K, Yakkioui Y, Blokland A, Jahanshahi A. A neuroanatomical analysis of the effects of a memory impairing dose of scopolamine in the rat brain using cytochrome c oxidase as principle marker. J Chem Neuroanat 2014; 59-60:1-7. [PMID: 24768696 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2014.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2013] [Revised: 04/08/2014] [Accepted: 04/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Acetylcholine plays a role in mnemonic and attentional processes, but also in locomotor and anxiety-related behavior. Receptor blockage by scopolamine can therefore induce cognitive as well as motor deficits and increase anxiety levels. Here we show that scopolamine, at a dose that has previously been found to affect learning and memory performance (0.1 mg/kg i.p.), has a widespread effect on cytochrome c oxidase histochemistry in various regions of the rat brain. We found a down-regulation of cytochrome c oxidase in the nucleus basalis, in movement-related structures such as the primary motor cortex and the globus pallidus, memory-related structures such as the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus and perirhinal cortex and in anxiety-related structures like the amygdala, which also plays a role in memory. However choline acetyltransferase levels were only affected in the CA1 subfield of the hippocampus and both, choline acetyltransferase and c-Fos expression levels were decreased in the amygdala. These findings corroborate strong cognitive behavioral effects of this drug, but also suggest possible anxiety- and locomotor-related changes in subjects. Moreover, they present histochemical evidence that the effects of scopolamine are not ultimately restricted to cognitive parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hescham
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; European Graduate School of Neuroscience (Euron), The Netherlands.
| | - Yasin Temel
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; European Graduate School of Neuroscience (Euron), The Netherlands
| | - João Casaca-Carreira
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; European Graduate School of Neuroscience (Euron), The Netherlands
| | - Kemal Arslantas
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Youssef Yakkioui
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; European Graduate School of Neuroscience (Euron), The Netherlands
| | - Arjan Blokland
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, University of Maastricht, The Netherlands; European Graduate School of Neuroscience (Euron), The Netherlands
| | - Ali Jahanshahi
- Department of Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; Department of Neurosurgery, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands; European Graduate School of Neuroscience (Euron), The Netherlands.
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Hughes RN. Modification by Environmental Enrichment of Acute Caffeine's Behavioral Effects on Male and Female Rats. JOURNAL OF CAFFEINE RESEARCH 2013. [DOI: 10.1089/jcr.2013.0018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Robert N. Hughes
- Department of Psychology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
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