title: Early environmental enrichment affects neurobehavioral development and prevents brain damage in rats submitted to neonatal hypoxia-ischemia.
abstract: Our previous results demonstrated improved cognition in adolescent rats housed in environmental enrichment (EE) that underwent neonatal hypoxia-ischemia (HI). The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of early EE on neurobehavioral development and brain damage in rats submitted to neonatal HI. Wistar rats were submitted to the HI procedure on the 7th postnatal day (PND) and housed in an enriched environment (8th-20th PND). The maturation of physical characteristics and the neurological reflexes were evaluated and the volume of striatum, corpus callosum and neocortex was measured. Data analysis demonstrated a clear effect of EE on neurobehavioral development; also, daily performance was improved in enriched rats on righting, negative geotaxis and cliff aversion reflex. HI caused a transient motor deficit on gait latency. Brain atrophy was found in HI animals and this damage was partially prevented by the EE. In conclusion, early EE stimulated neurobehavioral development in neonate rats and also protects the neocortex and the corpus callosum from atrophy following HI. These findings reinforce the potential of EE as a strategy for rehabilitation following neonatal HI and provide scientific support to the use of this therapeutic strategy in the treatment of neonatal brain injuries in humans.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Clarissa Pedrini
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Schuch
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ramiro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Diaz
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Iohanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Deckmann
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joseane Jiménez
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Rojas
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruna Ferrary
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Deniz
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós Graduação em Neurociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Electronic address: lenir_pereira@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Lenir Orlandi
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Pereira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000473:pathology; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D019579:Neocortex / Q000254:growth & development / Q000473:pathology; D009929:Organ Size; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012018:Reflex
keywords: Enriched environment; Milestones; Neonatal reflexes; Neonates; Perinatal asphyxia; Rodents