title: Vitamin A depletion alters sensitivity of motor behavior to MK-801 in C57BL/6J mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin A and its derivatives (retinoids) are crucial for the development, maintenance and morphogenesis of the central nervous system (CNS). Although motor impairment has been reported in postnatal vitamin A depletion rodents, the effect of vitamin A depletion on homeostasis maintaining capability in response to external interference is not clear.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the current study, we measured the effect of vitamin A depletion on motor ability and pain sensitivity under two different conditions: 1. prior to any injection and 2. after the injection of an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist (MK-801).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vitamin A depletion mice showed decreased body weight, enhanced locomotor activity, increased rearing and less tail flick latency. Vitamin A depletion also induced hypersensitivity of stereotypy, ataxia, rearing, and tail flick latency to MK-801, but hyposensitivity of locomotion to MK-801.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that vitamin A depletion affect broad basal behavior and disrupt homeostasis maintaining capability in response to glutamate perturbation. We provide a useful animal model for assessing the role of vitamin A depletion in regulating animal behavior, and for detecting how neurotransmitter pathways might be involved in vitamin A depletion related behavioral abnormalities.
authors.affiliation: Bio-X Center, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, PR China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Baohu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Junwei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Zhao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xingwang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Guoyin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Meilei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Chunling
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000379:methods; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014802:Vitamin A Deficiency / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D014801:Vitamin A; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate