Neurologic development and behavior in models of perinatal brain lesion

LÓPEZ AGUILERA F.; ZULOAGA M; TINNIRELLO B; RODRÍGUEZ J; GUEVARA M; CAIF F; MORENO O; ADAMEK P; SERRANO L; SORIA G; GARGIULLO P; SELTZER A

Ciudad de La Punta, Pcia. de San Luis

Congreso; XXVII Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2009

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Neurologic development and behavior in models of perinatal brain lesion. Lopez Aguilera F, Zuloaga M, Tinnirello B, Rodriguez J, Guevara M, Caif F, Moreno O, Adamek P, Serrano L, Soria G, Gargiulo P, Seltzer A CONICET UNCuyo Email: aseltzer@fcm.uncu.edu.ar Besides the estimation of histopathological changes, an evaluation of neurological development is important in experimental models of perinatal brain lesion. Once the animal reaches the adult stage, behavioural tests inform about sequelae. We applied conventional tests for development (body weight, tooth and hair eruption, eye opening) and motor coordination (righting reflex, limb grasp, walking iniciation, gait, geotaxia and traversing a square bridge) to Normal (N), Lesioned (L) (neonatal Hypoxia/Ischemia-H/I) and Preconditioned/Lesioned (L/Pcon) rat pups from the WKY strain. We also analyzed naive SHR rats. Neonatal animals: WKY animals from all groups show similar performance in most neurological tests, except for a significant delay (p<0.05) at PND31 in the GAIT test. SHR animals show remarkable differences in growth and development when comparing to WKY. Adult animals (WKY): Differences were observed in the Hole Board Test: A decrease in Ambulatory movements (p<0.05) (L/PCon), an increase in Non ambulatory movements (p<0.05) (L). In the plus maze test: A decrease in time spent in the open arm (p<0.001) and open arm extreme arrivals (p<0.05) (L/PCon). Present findings strongly suggest severe disturbances in exploration behaviour after treatment.