Peripubertal exposure to environmental enrichment prevents schizophrenia-like behaviors in the SHR strain animal model

Autor(es)

Santos, Camila Mauricio ; Peres, Fernanda Fiel ; Diana, Mariana Cepollaro ; Justi, Veronica ; Suiama, Mayra Akimi ; Santana, Marcela Goncalves ; Abilio, Vanessa Costhek

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH; v. 176, n. 2-3, p. 552-559, OCT 2016.
• Citações Web of Science: 6

Resumo

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 6 weeks 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 6 weeks 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. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/18851-1 - O papel do BDNF e seus receptores em intervenções farmacológicas ou ambientais preventivas em um modelo animal de esquizofrenia: a linhagem de ratos SHR
• Beneficiário: Camila Mauricio Santos
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 11/50740-5 - Prevenção na esquizofrenia e no transtorno bipolar da neurociência à comunidade: uma plataforma multifásica, multimodal e translacional para investigação e intervenção
• Beneficiário: Rodrigo Affonseca Bressan
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático