title: Behavioural correlates of striatal glial fibrillary acidic protein in the 3-nitropropionic acid rat model: disturbed walking pattern and spatial orientation.
abstract: The 3-nitropropionic acid animal model is a model where excitotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress, mechanisms common to various neurodegenerative diseases, are involved. The present study investigated whether behavioural alterations in this model were related to striatal damage. Wistar and Lewis rats were exposed to 3-nitropropionic acid and their behavioural performance (open field, walking pattern and Morris Water Maze task) was tested after the injections and after a recovery period of 3 weeks. No changes in activity were found in the open field test. Altered walking pattern was observed in the footprint analysis, although a different response was observed in the Wistar rats compared to the Lewis rats. Initially increased latency times were observed during visual discrimination learning in the Morris Water Maze task in 3-nitropropionic acid-treated Wistar rats compared to Wistar controls. During spatial discrimination learning (invisible platform) in the Morris Water Maze task the swimming velocity was decreased in both rat strains as a result of 3-nitropropionic acid treatment. Increased striatal glial fibrillary acidic protein concentration in Wistar rats correlated with several parameters of the footprint analysis and with the latency and distance in visual as well as spatial discrimination learning in the Morris Water Maze. It is concluded that measurement of walking pattern and spatial orientation performance are sensitive indicators to monitor behavioural changes in relation to striatal degeneration in the 3-nitropropionic acid animal model. In addition, Lewis rats are less sensitive towards 3-nitropropionic acid treatment than Wistar rats.
authors.affiliation: European Graduate School of Neuroscience (Euron), Universiteit Maastricht, Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD, Maastricht, The Netherlands. c.teunissen@np.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Teunissen
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Steinbusch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Angevaren
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Appels
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Bruijn
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prickaerts
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Vente
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017240:Mitochondrial Myopathies / Q000503:physiopathology; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D011422:Propionates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D009498:Neurotoxins; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates; C015392:3-nitropropionic acid