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McCarthy DM, Bell GA, Cannon EN, Mueller KA, Huizenga MN, Sadri-Vakili G, Fadool DA, Bhide PG. Reversal Learning Deficits Associated with Increased Frontal Cortical Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Tyrosine Kinase B Signaling in a Prenatal Cocaine Exposure Mouse Model. Dev Neurosci 2016; 38:354-364. [PMID: 27951531 PMCID: PMC5360472 DOI: 10.1159/000452739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenatal cocaine exposure remains a major public health concern because of its adverse impact on cognitive function in children and adults. We report that prenatal cocaine exposure produces significant deficits in reversal learning, a key component of cognitive flexibility, in a mouse model. We used an olfactory reversal learning paradigm and found that the prenatally cocaine-exposed mice showed a marked failure to learn the reversed paradigm. Because brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key regulator of cognitive functions, and because prenatal cocaine exposure increases the expression of BDNF and the phosphorylated form of its receptor, tyrosine kinase B (TrkB), we examined whether BDNF-TrkB signaling is involved in mediating the reversal learning deficit in prenatally cocaine-exposed mice. Systemic administration of a selective TrkB receptor antagonist restored normal reversal learning in prenatally cocaine-exposed mice, suggesting that increased BDNF-TrkB signaling may be an underlying mechanism of reversal learning deficits. Our findings provide novel mechanistic insights into the reversal learning phenomenon and may have significant translational implications because impaired cognitive flexibility is a key symptom in psychiatric conditions of developmental onset.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deirdre M. McCarthy
- Center for Brain Repair, Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
| | - Genevieve A. Bell
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
| | - Elisa N. Cannon
- Center for Brain Repair, Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
| | - Kaly A. Mueller
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129-4404
| | - Megan N. Huizenga
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129-4404
| | - Ghazaleh Sadri-Vakili
- MassGeneral Institute for Neurodegenerative Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02129-4404
| | - Debra A. Fadool
- Department of Biological Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
- Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
| | - Pradeep G. Bhide
- Center for Brain Repair, Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, 32306
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Hosseini M, Sadeghnia HR, Salehabadi S, Soukhtanloo M. Contribution of estradiol in sex-dependent differences of pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in rats. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013; 100:237-45. [PMID: 23524184 DOI: 10.1556/aphysiol.100.2013.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In the present study the contribution of estradiol in sex-dependent differences of pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures was investigated in rats. The rats were divided into four groups: 1) sham, 2) ovariectomized (OVX), 3) ovariectomized-estradiol (OVX-Est) and 4) male. The OVX-Est group received estradiol valerate (2 mg/kg; i.m/4 weeks) while, male, sham and OVX groups received vehicle. The animals were injected by PTZ (90 mg/kg). The latencies to minimal clonic seizures (MCS) and generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS), were recorded. Serum 17β-estradiol and testosterone levels were also determined using an Elisa kit. GTCS latency in OVX rats was higher than in sham-operated animals (P < 0.05). MCS and GTCS latency in the male group was significantly higher than in the sham, OVX and OVX-Est groups (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in MCS or GTCS latencies among OVX-Est, sham and OVX groups. Serum 17β-estradiol level in the OVX group was significantly lower than in the sham (P < 0.01) and in the OVX-Est group it was higher than in the sham, OVX and male groups (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001). Serum testosterone level in the male group was significantly higher than in all the other three groups (P < 0.001). It seems that testosterone probably has a more efficient role than estradiol in the gender dependent difference in seizure caused by PTZ in rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmoud Hosseini
- Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Neuroscience Research Center & Department of Physiology, School of Medicine Mashhad Iran Mashhad University Medical Sciences Department of Physiology, Scool of Medicine Mashhad Iran
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Mohammadpour T, Hosseini M, Karami R, Sadeghnia HR, Ebrahimzadeh Bideskan AR, Enayatfard L. Estrogen-dependent effect of soy extract on pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in rats. ZHONG XI YI JIE HE XUE BAO = JOURNAL OF CHINESE INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE 2012; 10:1470-6. [PMID: 23257143 DOI: 10.3736/jcim20121221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To study the different effects of soy extract on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures in the presence and absence of ovarian hormones in rats, and the gender-dependent differences in the effects of phytoestrogens on behavior. METHODS Male and female Wistar rats were randomly divided into nine groups with eight in each, namely, male-saline (M-saline), male-low-dose soy (M-LDS), male-high-dose soy (M-HDS), sham-saline (Sh-saline), sham-low-dose soy (Sh-LDS), sham-high-dose soy (Sh-HDS), ovariectomized-saline (OVX-saline), ovariectomized-low-dose soy (OVX-LDS) and ovariectomized-high-dose soy (OVX-HDS). The rats of groups 7 to 9 were ovariectomized under ketamine anesthesia. The rats of groups 2, 5 and 8 were treated by 20 mg/kg of soy extract while the animals of groups 3, 6 and 9 received 60 mg/kg of soy extract for two weeks. In groups 1, 4 and 7, saline was injected instead of soy extract. The animals were then injected by a single dose of PTZ (90 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) and placed in a plexiglas cage and the latency to minimal clonic seizure (MCS) and generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTCS) was recorded. RESULTS Both MCS and GTCS latency in M-LDS and M-HDS groups was significantly lower than that in M-saline group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Treatment for female sham rats by soy extract did not affect MCS and GTCS latency. The animals of OVX-LDS and OVX-HDS groups had lower MCS and GTCS latency in comparison with OVX-saline group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION It is concluded that the phytoestrogens of soy affect seizure severity induced by PTZ, but their effects are different in the presence or absence of ovarian hormones. However, further studies are necessary to be done.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toktam Mohammadpour
- Neuroscience Research Center and Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
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Slamberová R, Hrubá L, Matějovská I, Bernášková K, Rokyta R. Increased seizure susceptibility induced by prenatal methamphetamine exposure in adult female rats is not affected by early postnatal cross-fostering. Epilepsy Behav 2011; 20:6-11. [PMID: 21067979 DOI: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2010.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2010] [Revised: 10/06/2010] [Accepted: 10/06/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Our previous studies repeatedly demonstrated that prenatal methamphetamine (MA) exposure alters seizure susceptibility in adult rats. Both the inhibitory GABA system and the excitatory NMDA system play a role in the effect of MA on epileptic seizures. On the basis of our previous behavioral results, the effect of cross-fostering on seizure susceptibility in adult female rats was examined in the present study. Bicuculline (GABA(A) receptor antagonist) and NMDA (NMDA receptor agonist) were used to induce seizures in adult female offspring exposed to MA in the prenatal and/or preweaning periods. Female dams were injected with MA (5mg/kg daily) or physiological saline (S) for approximately 9 weeks [about 3 weeks prior to impregnation, for the entire gestation period (22 days), and in the preweaning period (21 days)]. Absolute controls (C) did not receive any injections. On postnatal day 1, pups were cross-fostered so that each mother received pups from all three treatments. Thus, nine groups (based on the prenatal and postnatal drug exposures) of adult female rats were tested in each seizure test: C/C, C/S, C/MA, S/C, S/S, S/MA, MA/C, MA/S, MA/MA. The present study demonstrated that both the excitatory NMDA system and the inhibitory GABA system are involved in the proconvulsive effect of MA during prenatal and partially also postnatal development in female rats. However, because our results did not show any improvement in seizure susceptibility in prenatally MA-exposed animals that were fostered by control mothers (MA/C) relative to their siblings fostered by MA-treated mothers (MA/MA), our hypothesis of the cross-fostering effect seems to be incorrect in contrast to our behavioral studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Slamberová
- Department of Normal, Pathological, and Clinical Physiology, Prague, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Does prenatal methamphetamine exposure affect seizure susceptibility in adult rats with acute administration of the same drug? Epilepsy Res 2008; 78:33-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.eplepsyres.2007.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2007] [Revised: 10/16/2007] [Accepted: 10/18/2007] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Slamberová R, Rokyta R. Seizure susceptibility in prenatally methamphetamine-exposed adult female rats. Brain Res 2005; 1060:193-7. [PMID: 16202984 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2005.08.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2005] [Revised: 08/18/2005] [Accepted: 08/19/2005] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of prenatal methamphetamine (MA) exposure on seizures induced by bicuculline and N-methyl-d-aspartate in adult female rats. The present results show that prenatal MA exposure alters seizures in a model-specific manner and that the seizure susceptibility of adult female rats may be affected by the stage of their estrous cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Slamberová
- Department of Normal, Pathological and Clinical Physiology, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Ke Karlovu 4, 120 00 Praha 2, Czech Republic
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Mitchell ES, Keller RW, Snyder-Keller A. Immediate-early gene expression in concurrent prenatal ethanol- and/or cocaine-exposed rat pups: intrauterine differences in cocaine levels and Fos expression. BRAIN RESEARCH. DEVELOPMENTAL BRAIN RESEARCH 2002; 133:141-9. [PMID: 11882344 DOI: 10.1016/s0165-3806(02)00282-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Concurrent use of cocaine and ethanol is a common mode of abuse. Cocaine and ethanol have distinctive pharmacologies but both have been shown to cause uterine vasoconstriction and fetal hypoxia. We developed a paradigm of chronic ethanol exposure via liquid diet coupled with binge cocaine exposure on the last day of gestation. Lipton et al. demonstrated unequal segregation of cocaine in rat fetuses as a function of proximal-distal location in the uterus, indicating a differential vasoconstriction of the two main arteries supplying the uterus in rats receiving cocaine. By performing C-sections after exposure to cocaine, we were able to measure the cocaine content and immediate-early gene (IEG) induction in the brains of fetuses according to their intrauterine position and assess the potentially vasoconstrictive effect of ethanol. HPLC analysis of fetal brains exposed to cocaine supported the study of Lipton et al.: fetuses from the proximal (lower) end of the uterus had more cocaine than fetuses from the distal (upper) end. Concurrent ethanol decreased the amount of cocaine reaching the fetuses and diminished the proximal-distal gradient. There were increased numbers of Fos-immunoreactive cells in fetuses exposed to both ethanol and cocaine compared to cocaine binge only. Additionally, the gradient of c-fos induction observed as a function of intrauterine position in cocaine-treated rats was in the opposite direction: most distal fetuses generally had the most Fos-immunoreactive cells. These results indicate that IEG induction in fetal brains exposed to cocaine and ethanol may be more related to hypoxic consequences of prenatal drug exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen S Mitchell
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, State University at Albany, Albany, NY, USA.
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Stanwood GD, Washington RA, Shumsky JS, Levitt P. Prenatal cocaine exposure produces consistent developmental alterations in dopamine-rich regions of the cerebral cortex. Neuroscience 2002; 106:5-14. [PMID: 11564412 DOI: 10.1016/s0306-4522(01)00256-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Administration of cocaine to pregnant rabbits produces robust and long-lasting anatomical alterations in the dopamine-rich anterior cingulate cortex of offspring. These effects include increased length and decreased bundling of layer III and V pyramidal neuron dendrites, increases in parvalbumin expression in the dendrites of interneurons, and increases in detectable GABAergic neurons. We have now examined multiple cortical regions with varying degrees of catecholaminergic innervation to investigate regional variations in the ability of prenatal cocaine exposure to elicit these permanent changes. All regions containing a high density of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive fibers, indicative of prominent dopaminergic input, exhibited alterations in GABA and parvalbumin expression by interneurons and microtubule-associated protein-2 labeling of apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons. These regions included the medial prefrontal, entorhinal, and piriform cortices. In contrast, primary somatosensory, auditory and motor cortices exhibited little tyrosine hydroxylase staining and no measurable cocaine-induced changes in cortical structure. From these data we suggest that the presence of dopaminergic afferents contributes to the marked specificity of the altered development of excitatory pyramidal neurons and inhibitory interneurons induced by low dose i.v. administration of cocaine in utero.
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Affiliation(s)
- G D Stanwood
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, E1440 Biomedical Science Tower, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA.
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Schindler CJ, Slamberová R, Vathy I. Prenatal morphine exposure decreases susceptibility of adult male rat offspring to bicuculline seizures. Brain Res 2001; 922:305-9. [PMID: 11743964 DOI: 10.1016/s0006-8993(01)03183-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of prenatal exposure to morphine (5-10 mg/kg twice daily on days 11-18 of gestation) on bicuculline seizure susceptibility and to examine the interaction of prenatal morphine exposure and hormonal background in adult male rats. The data demonstrate that prenatal morphine exposure does not affect clonic but decreases susceptibility to tonic-clonic bicuculline seizures in intact male rats. Thus, the present data support our previous work demonstrating alterations in seizure susceptibility of adult morphine-exposed animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- C J Schindler
- Department of Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 1300 Morris Park Avenue, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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Snyder-Keller A, Keller RW. Spatiotemporal analysis of Fos expression associated with cocaine- and PTZ-induced seizures in prenatally cocaine-treated rats. Exp Neurol 2001; 170:109-20. [PMID: 11421588 DOI: 10.1006/exnr.2001.7696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We previously reported that prenatal cocaine exposure (40 mg/kg s.c., E10-E20) increased susceptibility to convulsant-induced seizures later in life, with female rats becoming more sensitive to seizures induced by cocaine and pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), and males more sensitive to PTZ-induced seizures (Snyder-Keller and Keller, 1995, 2000). In order to determine the locus of enhanced seizure susceptibility in the brains of prenatally cocaine-treated rats, we examined the distribution and density of Fos-immunoreactive cells after cocaine- and PTZ-induced seizures in mature rats. Subconvulsive cocaine doses induced c-fos in cortical areas as well as densely dopamine-innervated regions such as striatum and nucleus accumbens. Following cocaine-induced seizures, intense c-fos induction was observed in piriform cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. Quantification of the number of Fos-immunoreactive cells in the brains of prenatally cocaine-treated versus prenatally saline-treated rats revealed differences in piriform cortex and amygdala that were indicative of a lower threshold in prenatally cocaine-treated female rats. Following PTZ-induced seizures, the same pattern of limbic structures were recruited with increasing seizure severity. Only females exhibited changes in the number of Fos-immunoreactive cells as a result of prenatal cocaine treatment. Pretreatment with the noncompetitive NMDA antagonist MK-801 blocked both cocaine- and PTZ-induced seizures, and Fos expression in limbic areas was also blocked. The dopamine D1 antagonist SCH 23390 blocked cocaine-induced seizures and associated c-fos induction, but not PTZ-induced seizures or Fos. Examination of the pattern of Fos expression at 15-20 min postseizure revealed that the initial site of c-fos induction associated with PTZ-induced seizures appeared to be the piriform cortex, whereas cocaine-induced seizures induced early expression in both piriform cortex and lateral amygdala. These findings suggest that neural alterations residing in the piriform cortex and amygdala are likely to account for the increased seizure susceptibility of prenatally cocaine-treated rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Snyder-Keller
- New York State Department of Health, Wadsworth Center, Albany, NY 12201, USA
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Abstract
A diversity of animal models are available for the study of epilepsy and these models have a proven history in advancing our understanding of basic mechanisms underlying epileptogenesis and have been instrumental in the screening of novel antiepileptic drugs. This review addresses the criteria that should be met in a valid animal model and provides an overview of current animal models that are relevant to human conditions. In addition, models not specific for any one human condition but rather exhibiting partial or generalized seizures are discussed. While most human disorders are without any animal model, those models that are clinically relevant have strengths and weaknesses. Finally, although few relevant, well-characterized animal models have been added to the list over recent years, major advancements in molecular genetics are contributing to the discovery of novel pathways involved in epileptogenesis.
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