Neonatal handling impairs spatial memory and leads to altered nitric oxide production and DNA breaks in a sex specific manner.
Early life events lead to behavioral and neurochemical changes in adulthood. The aim of this study is to verify the effects of neonatal handling on spatial memory, nitric oxide (NO) production, antioxidant enzymatic activities and DNA breaks in the hippocampus of male and female adult rats. Litters of rats were non-handled or handled (10 min/day, days 1-10 after birth). In adulthood they were subjected to a Morris water maze or used for biochemical evaluations. Female handled rats showed impairment in spatial learning. They also showed decreased NO production, while no effects were observed in these parameters in male rats. No effects were observed on the number of hippocampal NADPH diaphorase positive cells. In the Comet Assay, male handled rats showed increased DNA breaks index when compared to non-handled ones. We conclude that neonatal handling impairs learning performance in a sex-specific manner, what may be related to NO decreased levels.
Noschang
Cristie Grazziotin
CG
Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básica da Saúde, ICBS, UFRGS (Saúde), Ramiro Barcellos, 2600, anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil. cristienoschang@hotmail.com
Krolow
Rachel
R
Fontella
Fernanda Urruth
FU
Arcego
Danusa M
DM
Diehl
Luísa Amália
LA
Weis
Simone Nardin
SN
Arteni
Nice S
NS
Dalmaz
Carla
C
D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D020552:Comet Assay; D053960:DNA Breaks; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D008568:Memory; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012737:Sex Factors; D013028:Space Perception; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase