Hippocampal BDNF in reserpine-treated adolescent Wistar rats

RUIZ P; CALLIARI A; PAUTASSI R.M.

Cordoba

Congreso; LII Reunión de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Bioquímica y Biología Molecular (SAIB); 2016

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Bioquímica y Biología Molecular (SAIB)

TReserpine is a drug that depletes central and peripheral monoamines, resulting in behavioral depression in laboratory animals. Memoryprocesses -- which are known to be altered in depression -- are dependent on the integrity of the hippocampus, a brain structureexpressing brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The aim of this study was to investigate hippocampal BDNF in adolescent ratstreated with reserpine. Twenty-eight adolescent Wistar rats (males and females) were given reserpine (1.0 mg/kg) or vehicle (0.0mg/kg) every two days for 8 days. We then applied the elevated plus maze and the bar test to measure anxiety response and to dispellthe possibility of reserpine-induced motor impairment, respectively. Hippocampal BDNF levels were obtained via western blot. Theresults indicated greater anxiety response in the absence of motor impairment. BDNF hippocampal levels tended to be lower inreserpine-treated animals, although this effect did not reach significance. This pattern of results was similar in males and females.Overall, the present results indicate reserpine-induced enhancement of anxiety (which is usually comorbid with depression), whichwas accompanied by a non-significant decrease in BDNF levels at hippocampus. These results validate the use of reserpine as apharmacological model of depression.