title: Differential role of nitric oxide (NO) in acute and chronic stress induced neurobehavioral modulation and oxidative injury in rats.
abstract: The present study evaluated the effects of acute and chronic restraint stress (RS 1 h or 6 h), and their modulation by nitrergic agents on neurobehavioral and oxidative stress markers in rats. Acute RS (1 h or 6 h) reduced open arm entries (OAE) and open arm time (OAT) in the elevated plus maze test - which were attenuated by the NO precursor, L-arginine but not influenced appreciably by the NO synthase inhibitor, L-NAME. These behavioral changes were associated with differential changes in brain NO metabolites (NOx) but consistently reduced GSH and raised MDA levels in comparison to the control group. Following RS 1 h x 10 the neurobehavioral suppression and changes in brain oxidative stress markers were less pronounced as compared to the acute RS (1 h) group indicating adaptation. L-arginine pretreatment facilitated this adaptation to chronic RS (1 h). Interestingly RS 6 h x 10, induced severe behavioral suppression and aggravation of MDA and NOx levels and L-NAME pretreatment tended to protect against these chronic RS induced aggravations. These results suggest that acute and chronic RS induces duration/intensity dependent neurobehavioral and oxidative injury which are under the differential regulatory control of NO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi-110 007, India. kavgul2002@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Kavita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gulati
authors.forename: Ayanabha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chakraborti
authors.forename: Arunabha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D018782:Maze Learning; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D005978:Glutathione