Maria Martha Bernardi

Sexual behavior, neuroendocrine, and neurochemical aspects in male rats exposed prenatally to stress

The present study was designed to examine some short- and long-term effects of maternal restraint stress--during the period of sexual brain differentiation--on reproductive and endocrine systems, sexual behavior, and brain neurotransmitters in male rat descendants. Pregnant rats were exposed to restraint stress for 1 h/day from gestational days (GDs) 18 to 22. Prenatal stress did not influence the wet weight of sexual organs and the quantity of germ cells in adult male pups; however, these animals showed reduced testosterone levels, delayed latency to the first mount and first intromission, and also decreased number of ejaculations. Additionally, there was an increase in the dopamine and serotonin levels in the striatum. Our results indicate that prenatal stress had a long-term effect on neurotransmitter levels and sexual behavior. In this sense, reproductive problems caused by injuries during the fetal period can compromise the later success of mating as well as the capacity to generate descendants.

Effects of single and long-term haloperidol administration on open field behavior of rats

The effects of single and long-term haloperidol administration on rat open field behavior was studied. Withdrawal from long-term haloperidol treatment induced a significant increase in all parameters of activity recorded, expcept rearing. There was a direct relationship between the impairment of motor function induced by the single haloperidol administration and the increment of general activity observed after withdrawal from repeated drug administration. The results were considered to be a consequence of the supersensitivity of central dopaminergic receptors probably, of the mesostriatal pathway, that occurred in order to maintain the animals homeostasis.

Analgesic effect evoked by low molecular weight substances extracted from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom.

Crude venom obtained from Crotalus durissus terrificus (Cdt) was tested for its possible analgesic effect in mice. Subcutaneous (s.c.), intraperitoneal (i.p.) or oral (p.o.) administration of the venom caused an antinociceptive effect in mice as measured by the acetic acid-induced writhing method and the hot plate test. The antinociceptive activity was dose and time dependent and persisted after neutralization of the venom with a specific antivenin. It was demonstrated that the factor(s) has an apparent mol. wt of less than 3000 and that its antinociceptive effect is abolished by trypsin treatment. The demonstration that morphine enhances the analgesic effect of Cdt venom and naloxone antagonizes this effect suggests an endorphin-like activity for the factor(s) herein described.

Prenatal Lipopolysaccharide Reduces Social Behavior in Male Offspring

Objective: This study investigated the relationship between maternal sickness behavior during pregnancy and offspring development and behavior. Methods: Pregnant Wistar rats were administered with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 µg/kg, i.p.) on gestation day (GD) 9.5. Dams’ sickness behavior was analyzed, and at birth, offspring number and weight were evaluated. Male offspring was evaluated through physical development, play behavior, adult social interaction, plus maze studies and morphological analysis of the brain. Results: Results, with respect to the control group, showed that: (1) LPS decreased general activity, food intake, and weight gain in dams, but no pyrexia was observed following treatment; (2) LPS reduced litter size, but no alterations in physical development were observed; (3) LPS reduced play behavior parameters in baby rats; (4) LPS decreased adult social interaction; (5) no alterations were observed between groups on plus maze studies; (6) no differences were observed between groups on morphological analyses of the brain. Conclusion: These data reveal that LPS administered on GD 9.5 impaired male offspring’s social behavior in infancy and adulthood. These results may be related to an alteration in motivational states or/and increased anxiety.

Effects of dopamine receptor antagonists on ongoing maternal behavior in rats.

The effects of different peripheral doses of four dopamine (DA) receptor antagonists on general activity and maternal behavior were examined in lactating female rats. Administration of the classic D1-like and D2-like DA receptor blocker haloperidol (0.1 and 0.05 mg/kg) disrupted pup retrieval and nest-building behaviors and reduced motor activity. Pimozide (0.5 and 0.2 mg/kg), which has more affinity for DA D2-like receptors, mildly disrupted pup retrieval while showing no significant influence on open-field behaviors. The putative DA D(4) receptor blocker, clozapine (1.5 and 1.0 mg/kg) reduced motor activity significantly, while only 1.0 mg/kg dose significantly decreased percent of rats displaying nest building. The DA D1-like receptor blocker SKF-83566 (0.2 and 0.1 mg/kg) significantly reduced pup retrieval, nest building and motor activity. These results suggest a role for DA receptors in ongoing maternal behavior that correlates directly with general activity.

Effects of prenatal exposure to deltamethrin on forced swimming behavior, motor activity, and striatal dopamine levels in male and female rats

The effects of prenatal exposure of rat pups to 0.08 mg/kg deltamethrin (DTM) on physical, reflex and behavioral developmental parameters, on forced swimming and open-field behaviors, and on striatal monoamine levels at 60 days of age were observed. Maternal and offspring body weight, physical and reflex development were unaffected by the exposure to the pesticide. At 21 days of age, open-field locomotion frequency and immobility duration of male and female offspring were not different between control and exposed animals. However, male rearing frequency was increased in experimental animals. A decreased immobility latency to float and in general activity after the swimming test in male offspring was observed at adult age; no interference was detected in the float duration during the swimming test. In addition, these animals presented higher striatal 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) levels without modification in dopamine (DA) levels and an increased DOPAC/DA ratio. These data indicate a higher activity of the dopaminergic system in these animals. Noradrenaline (NA) levels were increased, while MHPG levels were not detectable in the system studied. Serotonin (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels, as well as the homovanillic acid (HVA)/DA ratio, were not modified by the exposure to the pesticide. No changes were observed in swimming and open-field behaviors nor were there any changes in striatal monoamines or their metabolites in the female experimental group. In relation to the pesticide formula, the present data showing that prenatal exposure to DTM alters latency to float and the activity of striatal dopaminergic system might reflect a persistent effect of the pesticide on animal motor activity, mainly in males. On the other hand, the decrease in general activity observed in experimental male rats suggests higher levels of emotionality induced by previous exposure to the swimming behavior test in relation to control animals. Data gathered in the present study may be important for the assessment of the safety of pyrethroid insecticides.

HISTAMINE AND SPONTANEOUS MOTOR ACTIVITY : BIPHASIC CHANGES, RECEPTORS INVOLVED AND PARTICIPATION OF THE STRIATAL DOPAMINE SYSTEM

The time- and dose-related effects of exogenous histamine on spontaneous motor activity and receptors involved were evaluated in male rats. Intracerebroventricular administration of histamine (5.4 and 54.3 nmol) produced a biphasic effect with initial transitory hypoactivity and later hyperactivity expressed by locomotion frequency in an open-field. The rearing frequencies were only reduced by all doses of histamine used. The histamine-induced hypoactivity was inhibited by the H3-antagonist thioperamide and was also induced by the H3-agonist N-alpha-methylhistamine. The histamine-induced hyperactivity phase was blocked by the H1-antagonist mepyramine. The H2-antagonist ranitidine increased locomotion and rearing frequencies. The participation of other neurotransmitters in the persistent hypokinetic effect induced by 135.8 nmol of histamine was determined by HPLC in the striatum and hypothalamus as counter-proof. A decreased DOPAC/DA ratio was observed only in the striatum. In the hypothalamus, low levels of 5HT were detected, probably not correlated with motor activity. In conclusion, the present results suggest that the exogenous histamine-induced hypoactivity response is probably due to activation of H3-receptors as heteroreceptors reducing the activity of the striatal dopaminergic system. This effect can partially overlap with the expression of the hyperactivity induced by H1-receptor activation. The participation of H2-receptors requires further investigation.

Hypoactivity of the Central Dopaminergic System and Autistic-Like Behavior Induced by a Single Early Prenatal Exposure to Lipopolysaccharide

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the behavioral patterns associated with autism and the prevalence of these behaviors in males and females, to verify whether our model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration represents an experimental model of autism. For this, we prenatally exposed Wistar rats to LPS (100 μg/kg, intraperitoneally, on gestational day 9.5), which mimics infection by gram‐negative bacteria. Furthermore, because the exact mechanisms by which autism develops are still unknown, we investigated the neurological mechanisms that might underlie the behavioral alterations that were observed. Because we previously had demonstrated that prenatal LPS decreases striatal dopamine (DA) and metabolite levels, the striatal dopaminergic system (tyrosine hydroxylase [TH] and DA receptors D1a and D2) and glial cells (astrocytes and microglia) were analyzed by using immunohistochemistry, immunoblotting, and real‐time PCR. Our results show that prenatal LPS exposure impaired communication (ultrasonic vocalizations) in male pups and learning and memory (T‐maze spontaneous alternation) in male adults, as well as inducing repetitive/restricted behavior, but did not change social interactions in either infancy (play behavior) or adulthood in females. Moreover, although the expression of DA receptors was unchanged, the experimental animals exhibited reduced striatal TH levels, indicating that reduced DA synthesis impaired the striatal dopaminergic system. The expression of glial cell markers was not increased, which suggests that prenatal LPS did not induce permanent neuroinflammation in the striatum. Together with our previous finding of social impairments in males, the present findings demonstrate that prenatal LPS induced autism‐like effects and also a hypoactivation of the dopaminergic system.

Effects of abrupt and gradual withdrawal from long-term haloperidol treatment on open field behavior of rats

The effects of abrupt and gradual withdrawal from long-term haloperidol treatment on rat open field behavior was studied. Abrupt withdrawal induced a significant increase in all parameters of activity observed except defecation, this increase being higher 72 h after the last haloperidol injection. Results were considered to be a consequence of supersensitivity of central dopaminergic receptors. These differences were almost unobservable in animals gradually withdrawn, thus suggesting that the phenomenon is reversible.

Prenatal lipopolysaccharide reduces motor activity after an immune challenge in adult male offspring.

Prenatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure causes reproductive, behavioral and neurochemical injuries in both the mother and pups. Previous investigations by our group showed that prenatal LPS administration (100 microg/kg, i.p.) on gestational day 9.5 impaired the male offsprings social behavior in infancy and adulthood. In the present study, we investigated whether these social behavioral changes were associated with motor activity impairment. Male rat pups treated prenatally with LPS or not were tested for reflexological development and open field general activity during infancy. In adulthood, animals were tested for open field general activity, haloperidol-induced catalepsy and apomorphine-induced stereotypy; striatal dopamine levels and turnover were also measured. Moreover, LPS-treated or untreated control pups were challenged with LPS in adulthood and observed for general activity in the open field. In relation to the control group, the motor behavior of prenatally treated male pups was unaffected at basal levels, both in infancy and in adulthood, but decreased general activity was observed in adulthood after an immune challenge. Also, striatal dopamine and metabolite levels were decreased in adulthood. In conclusion, prenatal LPS exposure disrupted the dopaminergic system involved with motor function, but this neurochemical effect was not accompanied by behavioral impairment, probably due to adaptive plasticity processes. Notwithstanding, behavioral impairment was revealed when animals were challenged with LPS, resulting in enhanced sickness behavior.