Perinatal asphyxia in the guinea pig leads to morphologic but not neurologic, cognitive, or behavioral changes.
BACKGROUND
In a recent publication, we described neurodegeneration along with neurotransmitter deficits and impaired differentiation in the guinea pig 3 months following severe perinatal asphyxia (PA). We were therefore interested in the clinical features in terms of neurology, cognitive functions, and behavior.


METHODS
We tested the long-term effects of PA in an animal model, which in the rat are well documented and resemble the clinical situation. Examinations consisted of an observational battery for motor and reflex functions and the acoustic startle response setting. We tested cognitive functions in the multiple T-maze and evaluated behavior using the elevated plus maze and open field studies.


RESULTS
No neurologic deficits were observed in the observational battery, including the acoustic startle response. Cognitive functions of memory and learning were not impaired in the multiple T-maze. In the open field and in the elevated plus maze, the system to test anxiety-related behavior, guinea pigs performed well.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings of patent neurology, cognitive functions, and behavior do not reflect the prominent morphologic findings of neurodegeneration. This is in agreement with corresponding studies on PA in the rat at the identical time point. We learned from this study that both test systems, although representing the standard in neuroscience, are either not sensitive enough or central nervous system lesions are clinically fully compensated.
Hoeger
Harald
H
Institute for Animal Genetics, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Bubna-Littitz
Herrmann
H
Engelmann
Mario
M
Schwerdtner
Ingrid
I
Schmid
Diethard
D
Lahoda
Robert
R
Seidl
Rainer
R
Lubec
Gert
G
Lubec
Barbara
B
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D009420:Nervous System / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology