Chronic early leucine administration induces behavioral deficits in rats.
Sustained levels of leucine comparable to those of human Maple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) were achieved in blood and brain of rats by subcutaneous leucine administration twice a day from the 6th to the 28th day of life. Control rats were treated with saline in the same volumes. Behavioral studies using aversive and nonaversive tasks were performed during adult age. Chronic early leucine treatment impaired acquisition of a two-way shuttle avoidance task and altered habituation to an open field. Our results suggest that early postnatal leucine administration induces long-lasting behavioral deficits.
Mello
C F
CF
Departamento de Química, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. cfmello@hanoi.base.ufsm.br
Feksa
L
L
Brusque
A M
AM
Wannmacher
C M
CM
Wajner
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001835:Body Weight; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007930:Leucine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D008375:Maple Syrup Urine Disease / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors
D007930:Leucine