No spatial memory deficit exists in Kunming mice that recently recovered from motor defects following 3-nitropropionic acid intoxication.
OBJECTIVE
Numerous studies have described both motor defects and cognitive impairments in several strains of rodents following 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) intoxication. In the present study, we investigated spatial recognition memory in Kunming mice that just recovered from motor defects induced by 3-NP.


METHODS
Mouse model was made by systemic subacute 3-NP treatment, and spatial recognition memory was measured through the Y-maze Test, a simple two-trial recognition test.


RESULTS
(1) On day 15 following 3-NP treatment, affected Kunming mice did not show motor defects in the Rotarod test and presented normal gait again. (2) In the following Y-maze test after 1h interval, the percentage (90.0%) of mice showing novel arm preference in 3-NP treatment group was significantly higher than the random chance level (50%), although it was only slightly higher than that (83.3%) in control group. On day 45 after 3-NP treatment, mice failed to choose unfamiliar novel arm as first choice, and the same occured in the control group. (3) For both post-intoxicated (on day 15 and day 45 following 3-NP treatment) and control groups, the duration in the novel arm and the frequency of entering it, were longer and higher compared with familiar start and other arms. For these mice that recently recovered from motor defects following 3-NP intoxication, no spatial memory deficits were observed through Y-maze Test.


CONCLUSIONS
Kunming mice used in our assays might possess resistance to cognitive impairment induced by 3-NP, which is consistent with previous findings in Swiss EPM-M1 mice.
Li
Xiao-Min
XM
Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092 China.
Zhu
Bing-Gen
BG
Ni
Jian-Bo
JB
Cao
Chun-Yan
CY
Zhang
Jie-Ping
JP
Zhao
Xu-Dong
XD
Zhu
Rong-Shen
RS
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D003292:Convulsants / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000633:toxicity*; D011041:Poisoning / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology; D011422:Propionates / Q000633:toxicity*; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D045442:Rotarod Performance Test; D013997:Time Factors
D003292:Convulsants; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates; C015392:3-nitropropionic acid