title: Low dose dexamethasone reverses depressive-like parameters and memory impairment in rats submitted to sepsis.
abstract: Sepsis is characterized by a systemic inflammatory response of the immune system against an infection, presenting with hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction, behavior alterations, and high mortality. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of dexamethasone on mortality, anhedonia, circulating corticosterone and adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) levels, body and adrenal gland weight, and aversive memory in sepsis survivor rats. Male Wistar rats underwent sham operation or cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) procedure. Rats subjected to CLP were treated with "basic support" and dexamethasone (at 0.2 and 2mg/kg daily for 7 days after CLP, intraperitonially) or saline. After 10 days of sepsis procedure, it was evaluated aversive memory, sweet food consumption, and body and adrenal gland weight. Serum and plasma were also obtained. It was observed that low dose dexamethasone reverted anhedonia, normalized adrenal gland and body weight, corticosterone and ACTH levels, and decreased mortality and avoidance memory impairment, demonstrating that low doses of dexamethasone for moderate periods may be beneficial for sepsis treatment and its sequelae-depressive-like parameters and memory impairment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurosciences and National Institute of Translational Science and Tecnology in Medicine, Posgraduation Program inPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Unidade Acadêmica de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, 88806-000 Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Omar J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Cassol
authors.forename: Clarissa M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Comim
authors.forename: Fabricia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petronilho
authors.forename: Larissa S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Constantino
authors.forename: Emilio L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Streck
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quevedo
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dal-Pizzol
mesh_terms: D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018805:Sepsis / Q000401:mortality / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003345:Corticosterone