Sleep and memory deficits in the rat produced by experimental infection with Trypanosoma cruzi.
We investigated whether the infection with Trypanosoma cruzi in rats could produce functional alterations of the central nervous system. The experimental group received an injection of 150,000 trypomastigotes / rat, whereas the control group received a saline injection. Spontaneous alternation behavior (SAB) tests and sleep-wake cycle recordings were obtained at the end of the parasitaemia. Results showed that the infected animals had significant sleep impairments, as denoted by an increase in the number of wake periods and a reduction of rapid eye movement sleep amount. SAB performance was also found to be impaired in these animals, as compared to the control group. Our results suggest that the rat is a suitable model for brain dysfunction studies in Chagas' disease.
Arankowsky-Sandoval
G
G
Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. Avenida Itzáes 490 X 59, CP 97000, Mérida,., Yucatán, Mexico. asandov@tunku.uady.mx
Mut-Martín
M
M
Solís-Rodríguez
F
F
Góngora-Alfaro
J L
JL
Barrera-Pérez
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002799:Cholinergic Fibers / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D007026:Hypothalamic Area, Lateral / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000502:physiology; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D013681:Tegmentum Mesencephali / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000472:pathogenicity* / Q000502:physiology
D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase