title: Peripubertal exposure to environmental enrichment prevents schizophrenia-like behaviors in the SHR strain animal model.
abstract: Schizophrenia is a highly disabling mental disorder, in which genetics and environmental factors interact culminating in the disease. The treatment of negative symptoms and cognitive deficits with antipsychotics is currently inefficient and is an important field of research. Environmental enrichment (EE) has been suggested to improve some cognitive deficits in animal models of various psychiatric disorders. In this study, we aimed to evaluate a possible beneficial effect of early and long-term exposure to EE on an animal model of schizophrenia, the SHR strain. Young male Wistar rats (control strain) and SHRs (21 post-natal days) were housed for 6weeks in two different conditions: in large cages (10 animals per cage) containing objects of different textures, forms, colors and materials that were changed 3 times/week (EE condition) or in standard cages (5 animals per cage - Control condition). Behavioral evaluations - social interaction (SI), locomotion, prepulse inhibition of startle (PPI) and spontaneous alternation (SA) - were performed 6weeks after the end of EE. SHRs presented deficits in PPI (a sensorimotor impairment), SI (mimicking the negative symptoms) and SA (a working memory deficit), and also hyperlocomotion (modeling the positive symptoms). EE was able to reduce locomotion and increase PPI in both strains, and to prevent the working memory deficit in SHRs. EE also increased the number of neurons in the CA1 and CA3 of the hippocampus. In conclusion, EE can be a potential nonpharmacological strategy to prevent some behavioral deficits associated with schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 3° andar, Ed. de Pesquisas II, CEP 04039-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Camila Mauricio
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 3° andar, Ed. de Pesquisas II, CEP 04039-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 5° andar, Ed. de Pesquisas II, CEP 04039-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Fiel
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Peres
authors.affiliation: LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 3° andar, Ed. de Pesquisas II, CEP 04039-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana Cepollaro
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Diana
authors.affiliation: LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 3° andar, Ed. de Pesquisas II, CEP 04039-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Justi
authors.affiliation: LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 3° andar, Ed. de Pesquisas II, CEP 04039-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 5° andar, Ed. de Pesquisas II, CEP 04039-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mayra Akimi
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Suiama
authors.affiliation: LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 3° andar, Ed. de Pesquisas II, CEP 04039-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 5° andar, Ed. de Pesquisas II, CEP 04039-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcela Gonçalves
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Santana
authors.affiliation: LiNC - Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Clinical Neurosciences, Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 3° andar, Ed. de Pesquisas II, CEP 04039-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Department of Pharmacology, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669, 5° andar, Ed. de Pesquisas II, CEP 04039-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vanessa Costhek
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Abílio
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004777:Environment; D006799:Housing, Animal; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D065808:Prepulse Inhibition; D011897:Random Allocation; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013216:Reflex, Startle; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012919:Social Behavior
keywords: Animal model; Environmental enrichment; PPI; SHR; Schizophrenia; Spontaneous alternation