Life-long environmental enrichment counteracts spatial learning, reference and working memory deficits in middle-aged rats subjected to perinatal asphyxia

View/ Open
Issue date
2015-01-05Author
Galeano, Pablo
Logica, Tamara
Romero, Juan Ignacio
Holubiec, Mariana Inés
Rodríguez de Fonseca, Fernando
Capani, Francisco
Suggested citation
Galeano, Pablo;
Blanco Calvo, Eduardo;
Logica, Tamara;
Romero, Juan Ignacio;
Holubiec, Mariana Inés;
Rodríguez de Fonseca, Fernando;
Capani, Francisco;
.
(2015)
.
Life-long environmental enrichment counteracts spatial learning, reference and working memory deficits in middle-aged rats subjected to perinatal asphyxia.
Frontiers In Behavioral Neuroscience, 2015, vol. 8, núm. 406, p. 1-12.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2014.00406.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Continuous environmental stimulation induced by exposure to enriched environment (EE) has yielded cognitive benefits in different models of brain injury. Perinatal asphyxia results from a lack of oxygen supply to the fetus and is associated with long-lasting neurological deficits. However, the effects of EE in middle-aged rats suffering perinatal asphyxia are unknown. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess whether life-long exposure to EE could counteract the cognitive and behavioral alterations in middle-aged asphyctic rats. Experimental groups consisted of rats born vaginally (CTL), by cesarean section (C+), or by C+ following 19 min of asphyxia at birth (PA). At weaning, rats were assigned to standard (SE) or enriched environment (EE) for 18 months. During the last month of housing, animals were submitted to a behavioral test battery including Elevated Plus Maze, Open Field, Novel Object Recognition and Morris water maze (MWM). Results showed that middle-aged asphyctic rats, reared in SE, exhibited an impaired performance in the spatial reference and working memory versions of the MWM. EE was able to counteract these cognitive impairments. Moreover, EE improved the spatial learning performance of middle-aged CTL and C+ rats. On the other hand, all groups reared in SE did not differ in locomotor activity and anxiety levels, while EE reduced locomotion and anxiety, regardless of birth condition. Recognition memory was altered neither by birth condition nor by housing environment. These results support the importance of environmental stimulation across the lifespan to prevent cognitive deficits induced by perinatal asphyxia
Is part of
Frontiers In Behavioral Neuroscience, 2015, vol. 8, núm. 406, p. 1-12European research projects
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
Perinatal asphyxia results in altered expression of the hippocampal acylethanolamide/endocannabinoid signaling system associated to memory impairments in postweaned rats
Blanco Calvo, Eduardo; Holubiec, Mariana Inés; Romero, Juan Ignacio; Logica, Tamara; Rivera, Patricia; Pavón, Francisco Javier; Suárez, Juan; Capani, Francisco; Rodríguez de Fonseca, Fernando; Galeano, Pablo (Frontiers, 2015)Perinatal asphyxia (PA) is an obstetric complication that strongly affects the CNS. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a lipid transmitter system involved in several physiological processes including synaptic plasticity, ... -
Neuronal damage induced by perinatal asphyxia is attenuated by postinjury glutaredoxin-2 administration
Romero, Juan Ignacio; Holubiec, Mariana Inés; Logica, Tamara; Rivière, Stéphanie; Hanschmann, Eva Maria; Kölliker Frers, Rodolfo; Tau, Julia; Blanco Calvo, Eduardo; Galeano, Pablo; Rodríguez de Fonseca, Fernando; Horst Lillig, Christopher; Capani, Francisco (Hindawi Publishing Corporation, 2017)The general disruption of redox signaling following an ischemia-reperfusion episode has been proposed as a crucial component in neuronal death and consequently brain damage. Thioredoxin (Trx) family proteins control redox ... -
Moderate and severe perinatal asphyxia induces differential effects on cocaine sensitization in adult rats
Galeano, Pablo; Romero, Juan Ignacio; Luque-Rojas, María Jesús; Suárez, Juan; Holubiec, Mariana Inés; Bisagno, Verónica; Santín Núñez, Luis Javier; Rodríguez de Fonseca, Fernando; Capani, Francisco; Blanco Calvo, Eduardo (Wiley Periodicals, 2013-09-00)Perinatal asphyxia (PA) increases the likelihood of suffering from dopamine-related disorders, such as ADHD and schizophrenia. Since dopaminergic transmission plays a major role in cocaine sensitization, the purpose of ...