title: Nogo-A-deficient Transgenic Rats Show Deficits in Higher Cognitive Functions, Decreased Anxiety, and Altered Circadian Activity Patterns.
abstract: Decreased levels of Nogo-A-dependent signaling have been shown to affect behavior and cognitive functions. In Nogo-A knockout and knockdown laboratory rodents, behavioral alterations were observed, possibly corresponding with human neuropsychiatric diseases of neurodevelopmental origin, particularly schizophrenia. This study offers further insight into behavioral manifestations of Nogo-A knockdown in laboratory rats, focusing on spatial and non-spatial cognition, anxiety levels, circadian rhythmicity, and activity patterns. Demonstrated is an impairment of cognitive functions and behavioral flexibility in a spatial active avoidance task, while non-spatial memory in a step-through avoidance task was spared. No signs of anhedonia, typical for schizophrenic patients, were observed in the animals. Some measures indicated lower anxiety levels in the Nogo-A-deficient group. Circadian rhythmicity in locomotor activity was preserved in the Nogo-A knockout rats and their circadian period (tau) did not differ from controls. However, daily activity patterns were slightly altered in the knockdown animals. We conclude that a reduction of Nogo-A levels induces changes in CNS development, manifested as subtle alterations in cognitive functions, emotionality, and activity patterns.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic ; First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague , Prague , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Petrasek
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Iva
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Prokopova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurohumoral Regulations, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sladek
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurohumoral Regulations, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Kamila
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Weissova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Iveta
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vojtechova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic ; Social Psychology, Department of Psychology II, University of Würzburg , Würzburg , Germany.
authors.forename: Stepan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bahnik
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zemanova
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health , Mannheim , Germany.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schönig
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health , Mannheim , Germany.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.affiliation: Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland ; Neurosciences, Department of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland ; Division of Molecular Mechanisms of Tumor Invasion, German Cancer Research Center , Heidelberg , Germany.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tews
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Central Institute of Mental Health , Mannheim , Germany.
authors.forename: Dusan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bartsch
authors.affiliation: Brain Research Institute, University of Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland ; Neurosciences, Department of Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich , Zurich , Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Schwab
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurohumoral Regulations, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Alena
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sumova
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurophysiology of Memory, Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic , Prague , Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stuchlik
keywords: AAPA; Carousel maze; Nogo-A; anhedonia; circadian rhythmicity; neophobia; passive avoidance