Biomaterial Database

Behavioral impairment in the rat after colchicine lesions of the hippocampus and nucleus basalis. 1988

W R Mundy, and H A Tilson

Laboratory of Behavioral and Neurological Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709.

Rats were given bilateral injections of colchicine into the nucleus basalis (NBM; 1.0 or 2.0 micrograms/site), hippocampus (HPC; 1.25 or 2.5 micrograms/site), or both areas (COM; 1.0 NBM, 1.25 HPC) and examined for changes in locomotor activity, passive avoidance behavior, and spatial navigation in a water maze task. Colchicine injected into the HPC caused a dose-related increase in locomotor activity 7 days after treatment which declined with repeated testing. Motor activity in NBM-lesioned rats was not significantly different from control. Rats with the COM lesion were more active than controls 7 days after treatment and remained hyperactive over the 3 week testing period. Retention of a step-through passive avoidance task was examined 18 days after surgery. HPC lesions had no apparent effect on passive avoidance behavior. NBM lesions causes a dose-dependent decrease in step-through latencies, while latencies in the combined group were comparable to the low dose NBM group. In the spatial navigation task, HPC and COM lesions impaired acquisition, with little indication of learning in the combined group. NBM lesions had no effect in the water maze. These data suggest that combined lesions of the NBM and HPC cause lasting behavioral impairments and may be useful as a model for neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D009043	Motor Activity	Body movements of a human or an animal as a behavioral phenomenon.	Activities, Motor,Activity, Motor,Motor Activities
D011916	Rats, Inbred F344	An inbred strain of rat that is used for general BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH purposes.	Fischer Rats,Rats, Inbred CDF,Rats, Inbred Fischer 344,Rats, F344,Rats, Inbred Fisher 344,CDF Rat, Inbred,CDF Rats, Inbred,F344 Rat,F344 Rat, Inbred,F344 Rats,F344 Rats, Inbred,Inbred CDF Rat,Inbred CDF Rats,Inbred F344 Rat,Inbred F344 Rats,Rat, F344,Rat, Inbred CDF,Rat, Inbred F344,Rats, Fischer
D003078	Colchicine	A major alkaloid from Colchicum autumnale L. and found also in other Colchicum species. Its primary therapeutic use is in the treatment of gout, but it has been used also in the therapy of familial Mediterranean fever (PERIODIC DISEASE).	Colchicine, (+-)-Isomer,Colchicine, (R)-Isomer
D006624	Hippocampus	A curved elevation of GRAY MATTER extending the entire length of the floor of the TEMPORAL HORN of the LATERAL VENTRICLE (see also TEMPORAL LOBE). The hippocampus proper, subiculum, and DENTATE GYRUS constitute the hippocampal formation. Sometimes authors include the ENTORHINAL CORTEX in the hippocampal formation.	Ammon Horn,Cornu Ammonis,Hippocampal Formation,Subiculum,Ammon's Horn,Hippocampus Proper,Ammons Horn,Formation, Hippocampal,Formations, Hippocampal,Hippocampal Formations,Hippocampus Propers,Horn, Ammon,Horn, Ammon's,Proper, Hippocampus,Propers, Hippocampus,Subiculums
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001362	Avoidance Learning	A response to a cue that is instrumental in avoiding a noxious experience.	Aversion Behavior,Aversion Learning,Aversive Behavior,Aversive Learning,Avoidance Behavior,Aversion Behaviors,Aversive Behaviors,Avoidance Behaviors,Behavior, Aversion,Behavior, Aversive,Behavior, Avoidance,Behaviors, Aversion,Behaviors, Aversive,Behaviors, Avoidance,Learning, Aversion,Learning, Aversive,Learning, Avoidance
D001479	Basal Ganglia	Large subcortical nuclear masses derived from the telencephalon and located in the basal regions of the cerebral hemispheres.	Basal Nuclei,Ganglia, Basal,Basal Nuclear Complex,Ganglion, Basal,Basal Nuclear Complices,Nuclear Complex, Basal,Nuclei, Basal
D001522	Behavior, Animal	The observable response an animal makes to any situation.	Autotomy Animal,Animal Behavior,Animal Behaviors
D013550	Swimming	An activity in which the body is propelled through water by specific movement of the arms and/or the legs. Swimming as propulsion through water by the movement of limbs, tail, or fins of animals is often studied as a form of PHYSICAL EXERTION or endurance.