CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

: The environmental enrichment (EE) is a preclinical model that generates a cognitive, social and physical enrichment in animals. Its positive effects were demonstrated in several animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. In Multiple Sclerosis (MS) animal models its effects on acute demyelination in the white matter were demonstrated. Effect on demyelination, glial activation and chronic neurodegeneration in gray matter, and its behavioral manifestations have not yet been demonstrated.Objective: to study the effects of EE on tissue damage and behavioral manifestations in animal model of focal cortical pathology of MS.Materials and methods: Cortical lesions were generated in Wistar rats through the injection in prefrontal cortex of an adenovirus that chronically expresses the IL-1beta cytokine . On day 21 post-cortical injection, the same adenovector was applied intravenously, generating a systemic inflammation (Silva et al 2018). An adenovirus that expresses beta-galactosidase as a control was applied in another group of rats. The animals were place along 30 days in standard cages or EE cages. Behavioural, histological, immunohistochemical and molecular analysis were performed.Results: EE significantly improves the short-term memory impairment, anhedonia and anxiety; decreasing glial activation, neurodegeneration, demyelination; and TNF, IL1 beta and IL6 levels. These effects are produced directly on the cortex and through the of systemic inflammation reduction.Conclusions: AE could represent an important non-pharmacological contribution, which can act synergistically with other therapeutic agents to facilitate repair of the demyelinating and neurodegenerative focal cortical damage characteristic of MS