title: Chronic light deprivation inhibits appetitive associative learning induced by ethanol and its respective c-Fos and pCREB expression.
abstract: To address the role of mixed anxiety/mood disorder on appetitive associative learning, we verify whether previous chronic light deprivation changes ethanol-induced conditioned place preference and its respective expression of c-Fos and pCREB, markers of neuronal activity and plasticity. The experimental group was maintained in light deprivation for 24 h for a period of 4 wk. Subsequently, it was adapted to a standard light-dark cycle for 1 wk. As a control, some mice were maintained in standard cycle for a period of 4 wk (Naïve group). Then, all animals were submitted to behavioral tests to assess emotionality: elevated plus maze; open field; and forced swim. After that, they were submitted to ethanol-induced conditioned place preference. Ninety minutes after the place preference test, they were perfused, and their brains processed for c-Fos and pCREB immunohistochemistry. Light deprivation induced anxiety-like trait (elevated plus maze), despair (forced swim), and hyperlocomotion (open field), common features seen in other animal models of depression. Ethanol-induced conditioned place preference was accompanied by increases on c-Fos and pCREB in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and striatum. Interestingly, mice previously submitted to light deprivation did not develop either acquisition and/or expression of ethanol-induced conditioned place preference or increases in c-Fos and pCREB. Therefore, chronic light deprivation mimics several behavioral aspects of other animal models of depression. Furthermore, it could be useful to study the neurochemical mechanisms involved in the dual diagnosis. However, given its likely deleterious effects on appetitive associative memory, it should be used with caution to investigate the cognitive aspects related to the dual diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,Universidade Federal de São Paulo,R. Borges Lagoa, 570, 10° andar, São Paulo, SP 04038-001,Brazil.
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Varela
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurobiology,Universidade Federal de São Paulo,R. Pedro de Toledo, 669, 3° andar, São Paulo, SP 04023-062,Brazil.
authors.forename: João Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Escosteguy-Neto
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurobiology,Universidade Federal de São Paulo,R. Pedro de Toledo, 669, 3° andar, São Paulo, SP 04023-062,Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina Tesone
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurobiology,Universidade Federal de São Paulo,R. Pedro de Toledo, 669, 3° andar, São Paulo, SP 04023-062,Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Eugênio
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry,Universidade Federal de São Paulo,R. Borges Lagoa, 570, 10° andar, São Paulo, SP 04038-001,Brazil.
authors.forename: Dartiu Xavier
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: da Silveira
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Neurobiology,Universidade Federal de São Paulo,R. Pedro de Toledo, 669, 3° andar, São Paulo, SP 04023-062,Brazil.
authors.forename: Jair Guilherme
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Santos-Junior
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001066:Appetite / Q000187:drug effects*; D001245:Association Learning / Q000187:drug effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism*; D012683:Sensory Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D000431:Ethanol; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein