Changes in motor behavior during pregnancy in rats: the basis for a possible animal model of restless legs syndrome

Author(s)

Melise Oliveira Mariano ^[1] ; Andrea Maculano Esteves ^[2] ; Miriam Kannebley Frank ^[3] ; Luciana Chagas Caperuto ^[4] ; Mauro Manconi ^[5] ; Sergio Tufik ^[6] ; Marco Tulio De Mello ^[7]

Affiliation

^[1] Universidade Federal de São Paulo – UNIFESP. Department of Psychobiology - Brasil

^[2] Universidade Estadual de Campinas – UNICAMP. Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas - Brasil

^[3] Universidade Estadual de Campinas – UNICAMP. Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas - Brasil

^[4] Universidade Federal de São Paulo – UNIFESP. Department of Biological Sciences - Brasil

^[5] Civic Hospital of Lugano. Neurocenter of the Southern Switzerland. Sleep and Epilepsy Center - Suíça

^[6] Universidade Federal de São Paulo – UNIFESP. Department of Psychobiology - Brasil

^[7] Universidade Federal de São Paulo – UNIFESP. Department of Psychobiology - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia; v. 36, n. 10, p. 436-441, 2014-10-03.

Abstract

PURPOSE:Pregnant women have a 2-3 fold higher probability of developing restless legs syndrome (RLS – sleep-related movement disorders) than general population. This study aims to evaluate the behavior and locomotion of rats during pregnancy in order to verify if part of these animals exhibit some RLS-like features.METHODS:We used 14 female 80-day-old Wistar rats that weighed between 200 and 250 g. The rats were distributed into control (CTRL) and pregnant (PN) groups. After a baseline evaluation of their behavior and locomotor activity in an open-field environment, the PN group was inducted into pregnancy, and their behavior and locomotor activity were evaluated on days 3, 10 and 19 of pregnancy and in the post-lactation period in parallel with the CTRL group. The serum iron and transferrin levels in the CTRL and PN groups were analyzed in blood collected after euthanasia by decapitation.RESULTS:There were no significant differences in the total ambulation, grooming events, fecal boli or urine pools between the CTRL and PN groups. However, the PN group exhibited fewer rearing events, increased grooming time and reduced immobilization time than the CTRL group (ANOVA, p<0.05).CONCLUSION:These results suggest that pregnant rats show behavioral and locomotor alterations similar to those observed in animal models of RLS, demonstrating to be a possible animal model of this sleep disorder. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 98/14303-3 - Center for Sleep Studies
• Grantee: Sergio Tufik
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC