title: Melatonin improves 3-nitropropionic acid induced behavioral alterations and neurotrophic factors levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to determine whether melatonin causes changes in neurotrophic factors and it protects against the mycotoxin 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NP) in brain tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rats were given 3-NP over four consecutive days (20 mg/kg BW), while melatonin was administered over 21 days (1 mg/kg/BW), starting after the last injection of 3-NP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rats treated with 3-NP displayed significant changes in neurotrophic factor (BDNF and GDNF) levels, together with alterations in behavior; they also displayed extensive oxidative stress and a massive neuronal damage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Melatonin improved behavioral alterations, reduced oxidative damage, lowered neurotrophic factor levels and neuronal loss in 3-NP-treated rats. These results suggest that melatonin exerts a neuroprotective action.
authors.affiliation: Dpto. Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto Maimónides de Investigación Biomédica de Córdoba (IMIBIC)/Universidad de Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Inmaculada
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tasset
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agüera
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Olmo-Camacho
authors.forename: Begoña
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Escribano
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sánchez-López
authors.forename: María J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Delgado
authors.forename: Antonio H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gascón
authors.forename: Evelio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Luque
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peña
authors.forename: Ignacio M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Jimena
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Túnez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011422:Propionates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D011422:Propionates; D008550:Melatonin; C015392:3-nitropropionic acid