Unilateral hippocampal lesions in newborn and adult rats: effects on spatial memory and BDNF gene expression. 1998

H van Praag, and P M Qu, and R C Elliott, and H Wu, and C F Dreyfus, and I B Black
Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, UMDNJ, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA. henriette_van_praag@qm.salk.edu

Subcortical damage at birth often produces more severe deficits than similar lesions in an adult. In the present study, effects of unilateral electrolytic hippocampal ablations made on postnatal day 1 or in 3-month-old adult rats, were compared. Exploratory behavior and spatial navigation in the Morris water maze (MWM) were assessed 8 and 20 weeks after hippocampal damage. Rats with neonatal damage did not respond to novelty in the environment and did not learn to find the hidden platform in the MWM. Rats lesioned as adults did learn the water maze task, but slower than controls. We hypothesized that behavioral deficits observed in rats lesioned at birth, may be due, in part, to neurochemical dysfunction of the contralateral hippocampus. Specifically, cholinergic and GABAergic neurotransmission were assessed by measuring choline-acetyltransferase (ChAT) and GABAdecarboxylase (GAD) activity. In addition, nerve growth factor (NGF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA levels were assayed in the remaining (contralateral) hippocampus. Of these molecules, only BDNF gene expression was significantly reduced (by 30%) at 8 and 20 weeks after neonatal and adult unilateral ablation. The similar reduction in BDNF mRNA in both treatment groups does not correspond with the lesion's differential effect on memory function. However, the more severe learning impairment after neonatal lesion may reflect increased dependence on trophins during development.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D009414 Nerve Growth Factors Factors which enhance the growth potentialities of sensory and sympathetic nerve cells. Neurite Outgrowth Factor,Neurite Outgrowth Factors,Neuronal Growth-Associated Protein,Neuronotrophic Factor,Neurotrophic Factor,Neurotrophic Factors,Neurotrophin,Neurotrophins,Growth-Associated Proteins, Neuronal,Neuronal Growth-Associated Proteins,Neuronotrophic Factors,Neurotrophic Protein,Neurotrophic Proteins,Proteins, Neuronal Growth-Associated,Factor, Neurite Outgrowth,Factor, Neuronotrophic,Factor, Neurotrophic,Factors, Nerve Growth,Factors, Neurite Outgrowth,Factors, Neuronotrophic,Factors, Neurotrophic,Growth Associated Proteins, Neuronal,Growth-Associated Protein, Neuronal,Neuronal Growth Associated Protein,Neuronal Growth Associated Proteins,Outgrowth Factor, Neurite,Outgrowth Factors, Neurite,Protein, Neuronal Growth-Associated
D011247 Pregnancy The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH. Gestation,Pregnancies
D002795 Choline O-Acetyltransferase An enzyme that catalyzes the formation of acetylcholine from acetyl-CoA and choline. EC 2.3.1.6. Choline Acetylase,Choline Acetyltransferase,Acetylase, Choline,Acetyltransferase, Choline,Choline O Acetyltransferase,O-Acetyltransferase, Choline
D005106 Exploratory Behavior The tendency to explore or investigate a novel environment. It is considered a motivation not clearly distinguishable from curiosity. Curiosity,Novelty-Seeking Behavior,Behavior, Exploratory,Behavior, Novelty-Seeking,Behaviors, Exploratory,Behaviors, Novelty-Seeking,Curiosities,Exploratory Behaviors,Novelty Seeking Behavior,Novelty-Seeking Behaviors
D005260 Female Females
D005968 Glutamate Decarboxylase A pyridoxal-phosphate protein that catalyzes the alpha-decarboxylation of L-glutamic acid to form gamma-aminobutyric acid and carbon dioxide. The enzyme is found in bacteria and in invertebrate and vertebrate nervous systems. It is the rate-limiting enzyme in determining GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID levels in normal nervous tissues. The brain enzyme also acts on L-cysteate, L-cysteine sulfinate, and L-aspartate. EC 4.1.1.15. Glutamate Carboxy-Lyase,Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase,Acid Decarboxylase, Glutamic,Carboxy-Lyase, Glutamate,Decarboxylase, Glutamate,Decarboxylase, Glutamic Acid,Glutamate Carboxy Lyase
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
D000375 Aging The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time. Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
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
D000831 Animals, Newborn Refers to animals in the period of time just after birth. Animals, Neonatal,Animal, Neonatal,Animal, Newborn,Neonatal Animal,Neonatal Animals,Newborn Animal,Newborn Animals

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