title: Fetal asphyxia leads to a decrease in dorsal raphe serotonergic neurons.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of fetal asphyxia (FA) on anxiety and serotonergic neurons in young adult and middle-aged rats. FA was induced at embryonic day 17 by clamping the uterine circulation for 75 min. Anxiety-related behavior was tested in an open field, and design-based stereology was used for counting serotonergic (5-hydroxytryptamine/serotonin, 5-HT) neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). The open field revealed increased anxiety in the 19-month-old FA rats in comparison to control animals. No significant differences were found in DRN 5-HT neuron numbers at 6 months. At 19 months, however, FA significantly lowered the mean density and volume of 5-HT neurons in the DRN as compared to controls. Further, an age-related reduction was found in the total number, the mean density and the mean volume of 5-HT neurons within the FA group. In conclusion, FA is associated with increased anxiety and age-related changes in 5-HT immunohistochemistry within the DRN. These results support the notion that insults caused by asphyxiation during critical periods of brain development could create a predisposition to serotonergic abnormalities and anxiety deficits in adulthood.
authors.affiliation: School of Mental Health and Neuroscience, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eveline
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Strackx
authors.forename: Daniël L A
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: van den Hove
authors.forename: Hellen P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Steinbusch
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prickaerts
authors.forename: Johan S H
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Vles
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: Harry W M
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Steinbusch
authors.forename: A W Danilo
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Gavilanes
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000166:cytology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin