engleski

A new non–invasive model of perinatal mild hypoxic brain lesion causes lifelong changes of perineuronal nets and learning behavior in rats

Aiming to investigate possible changes in neuronal connectivity after mild perinatal hypoxic brain lesion, perineuronal nets and cognitive behavior were analyzed in a new non- invasive model of brain injury in rats. Nineteen Wistar Han® (RccHan®:WIST) rats, (9 females and 10 males) were randomly divided into hypoxic and control group on postnatal day 1 (P1) when hypoxia was induced in a warm (≈ 25°C) hypobaric chamber (Atm 350mmHg, pO273mmHg) during 2 hours, while controls were kept in normal housing conditions. Behavioral tests were performed at P30 and P70 using the open field, hole board, social choice, and T- maze tests. Samples of brain tissue from adult animals (P105) were used for histochemical examination of the cytoarchitectonics (Nissl staining), interneurons (parvalbumin immunohistochemistry) and perineuronal nets (Wisteria floribunda agglutinin, histochemistry). After mild perinatal hypoxic brain injury, cerebral cytoarchitectonics, as well as the laminar and structural organization of the telencephalon were preserved. However, changes in morphology, number, and distribution of the parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons and perineuronal nets, distinct in different regions of the telencephalon, were observed. Moreover, motor and socialization patterns were preserved, while treated animals showed significantly impaired learning behavior. In conclusion, a short-term perinatal hypoxic brain injury in rats leads to disturbances in brain connectivity related to cognitive processes consistent through development and adulthood. Further characterization and evaluation of this brain injury model, on molecular, cytological and connectivity levels, is needed to disclose developmental disturbances caused by provoked hypoxia that are not compensated during development and lead to cognitive deficits still present in adult rats. The study was co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund, Operational Programme Competitiveness, and Cohesion, grant agreement No. KK.01.1.1.01.0007, CoRE – Neuro and Croatian Science Foundation.

wisteria floribunda agglutinin ; parvalbumin ; brain development

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