Protective effect of the calcium antagonist nimodipine on discrimination learning deficits and impaired retention behavior caused by prenatal nitrite exposure in rats.
Discrimination learning behavior and retention of a passive avoidance response were studied in male adult offspring of gestating rats exposed to drinking water containing 2 g/l sodium nitrite, throughout the second half of pregnancy. Both in an auditory and visual discrimination learning paradigm NaNO2-exposed rats were inferior to controls. The long-term retention of a passive avoidance response was also impaired. The acquisition of simple learning tasks was not significantly disturbed. The concomitant prenatal daily treatment with the calcium antagonist nimodipine in a dose of 10 mg/kg p.o. interfered with the nitrite neurotoxicity and prevented the development of adult behavioral deficits. The results support the hypothesis that Ca2+ homeostasis of neurons is an important factor for normal development of brain and behavior.
Nyakas
C
C
Central Research Laboratory, Postgraduate Medical University, Budapest, Hungary.
Markel
E
E
Bohus
B
B
Schuurman
T
T
Luiten
P G
PG
D000818:Animals; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000187:drug effects; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000187:drug effects; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D009553:Nimodipine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000633:toxicity*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012153:Retention, Psychology / Q000187:drug effects*; D012977:Sodium Nitrite / Q000633:toxicity*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000187:drug effects
D009573:Nitrites; D009553:Nimodipine; D012977:Sodium Nitrite; D002118:Calcium