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Nicolucci C, Pais ML, Santos AC, Ribeiro FM, Encarnação PMCC, Silva ALM, Castro IF, Correia PMM, Veloso JFCA, Reis J, Lopes MZ, Botelho MF, Pereira FC, Priolli DG. Single Low Dose of Cocaine-Structural Brain Injury Without Metabolic and Behavioral Changes. Front Neurosci 2021; 14:589897. [PMID: 33584173 PMCID: PMC7874143 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.589897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic cocaine use has been shown to lead to neurotoxicity in rodents and humans, being associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. However, recreational use, which may lead to addictive behavior, is often neglected. This occurs, in part, due to the belief that exposure to low doses of cocaine comes with no brain damage risk. Cocaine addicts have shown glucose metabolism changes related to dopamine brain activity and reduced volume of striatal gray matter. This work aims to evaluate the morphological brain changes underlying metabolic and locomotor behavioral outcome, in response to a single low dose of cocaine in a pre-clinical study. In this context, a Balb-c mouse model has been chosen, and animals were injected with a single dose of cocaine (0.5 mg/kg). Control animals were injected with saline. A behavioral test, positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, and anatomopathological studies were conducted with this low dose of cocaine, to study functional, metabolic, and morphological brain changes, respectively. Animals exposed to this cocaine dose showed similar open field activity and brain metabolic activity as compared with controls. However, histological analysis showed alterations in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of mice exposed to cocaine. For the first time, it has been demonstrated that a single low dose of cocaine, which can cause no locomotor behavioral and brain metabolic changes, can induce structural damage. These brain changes must always be considered regardless of the dosage used. It is essential to alert the population even against the consumption of low doses of cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Nicolucci
- Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, São Francisco University Post-graduation Stricto Sensu Programme, Bragança Paulista, Brazil
| | - Mariana Lapo Pais
- Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biophysics, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - A C Santos
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biophysics, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Fabiana M Ribeiro
- Department of Physics, Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Pedro M C C Encarnação
- Department of Physics, Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Ana L M Silva
- Department of Physics, Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.,Radiation Imaging Technologies Lda, Ílhavo, Portugal
| | - I F Castro
- Radiation Imaging Technologies Lda, Ílhavo, Portugal
| | - Pedro M M Correia
- Department of Physics, Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal.,Radiation Imaging Technologies Lda, Ílhavo, Portugal
| | - João F C A Veloso
- Department of Physics, Institute for Nanostructures, Nanomodelling and Nanofabrication (i3N), University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Julie Reis
- Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Marina Z Lopes
- Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, São Francisco University Scientific Initiation Programme, Bragança Paulista, Brazil
| | - Maria F Botelho
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Biophysics, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Frederico C Pereira
- Faculty of Medicine, Coimbra Institute for Clinical and Biomedical Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.,Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Coimbra, Portugal.,Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Denise G Priolli
- Multidisciplinary Research Laboratory, São Francisco University Post-graduation Stricto Sensu Programme, Bragança Paulista, Brazil
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Kessler FHP, Woody G, Portela LVC, Tort ABL, De Boni R, Peuker ACWB, Genro V, von Diemen L, de Souza DOG, Pechansky F. Brain injury markers (S100B and NSE) in chronic cocaine dependents. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PSIQUIATRIA 2007; 29:134-9. [PMID: 17650535 DOI: 10.1590/s1516-44462006005000029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Studies have shown signs of brain damage caused by different mechanisms in cocaine users. The serum neuron specific enolase and S100B protein are considered specific biochemical markers of neuronal and glial cell injury. This study aimed at comparing blood levels of S100B and NSE in chronic cocaine users and in volunteers who did not use cocaine or other illicit drugs. METHOD: Twenty subjects dependent on cocaine but not on alcohol or marijuana, and 20 non-substance using controls were recruited. Subjects were selected by consecutive and non-probabilistic sampling. Neuron specific enolase and S100B levels were determined by luminescence assay. RESULTS: Cocaine users had significantly higher scores than controls in all psychiatric dimensions of the SCL-90 and had cognitive deficits in the subtest cubes of WAIS and the word span. Mean serum S100B level was 0.09 ± 0.04 µg/l among cocaine users and 0.08 ± 0.04 µg/l among controls. Mean serum neuron specific enolase level was 9.7 ± 3.5 ng/l among cocaine users and 8.3 ± 2.6 ng/l among controls. CONCLUSIONS: In this first study using these specific brain damage markers in cocaine users, serum levels of S100B and neuron specific enolase were not statistically different between cocaine dependent subjects and controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Henrique Paim Kessler
- Center for Drug and Alcohol Research, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre (RS), Brazil.
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