The aim of this study was to inve stigate the effect of prenatal methamphetamine (MA) exposure and application of the same drug in adulthood on cognitive functions of adult female rats. Animals were prenatally exposed to MA (5 mg/kg) or saline (control group). The cognitive function was tested as ability of spatial learning in the Morris Water Maze (MWM). Each day of the experiment animals received an injection of MA (1 mg/kg) or saline. Our results demonstrated that prenatal MA exposure did not affect the latency to reach the hidden platform or the distance traveled during the Place Navigation Test; however, the speed of swimming was increased in prenatally MA-exposed rats compared to controls regardless of the treatment in adulthood. MA treatment in adulthood increased the latency and distance when compared to controls regardless of the prenatal exposure. Neither prenatal exposure, nor tr eatment in adulthood affected memory retrieval. As far as the estrous cycle is concerned, our results showed that prenatally MA-exposed females in proestrus/estrus swam faster than females in diestrus. This effect of estrous cycle was not apparent in control females. In conclusion, our results indicate that postnatal, but not prenatal exposure to MA affects learning of adult female rats., E. Macúchová, K. Nohejlová-Deykun, R. Šlamberová., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
It is known that psychostimulants including methamphetamine (MA) have neurotoxic effect, especially, if they are targeting CNS during its critical periods of development. The present study was aimed on evaluation of cognitive changes following scheduled prenatal MA exposure in combination with long-term exposure in adulthood of male rats. Two periods of gestation were targeted: 1st half - the embryonic day (ED) 1-11 and 2nd half - ED 12-22. Rat mothers received subcutaneously a daily injection of MA (5 mg/kg) or saline (SAL, 1 ml/kg) throughout scheduled periods. Male offspring were tested for cognitive changes in the Morris Water Maze (MWM) in adulthood. Each day of the experiment animals received an injection of MA (1 mg/kg) or SAL (1 ml/kg) during 12 days. Our results demonstrated that in the group of animals exposed to the drug during ED 1-11, neither prenatal MA exposure, nor adult MA treatment changed the performance in the MWM test. Only the velocity was increased in group with long-term MA treatment (SAL/MA and MA/MA). In the group of animals exposed to the drug during ED 12-22, rats exposed to MA prenatally and also in adulthood (MA/MA) swam faster but learned the position of the platform slower in the Place Navigation Test than animals exposed to SAL in adulthood (MA/SAL). In the Probe Test, MA/SAL had decreased velocity and swam shorter distance than MA/MA or SAL/SAL rats suggesting increased floating of these animals. In the Memory Retention Test, SAL/MA rats swam shorter distance than SAL/SAL or MA/MA animals suggesting changes in used strategies in memory recall. As conclusion, our results suggest differences in the effect of combination of prenatal and adult exposure to MA. These effects further depend on the stage of CNS development and schedule of MA exposure affecting intrauterine development in male rats., I. Hrebíčková, M. Malinová-Ševčíková, E. Macúchová, K. Nohejlová, R. Šlamberová., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The aim of the present study was to compare the response to acute application of several drugs in adult male and female rats prenatally exposed to metham phetamine (MA). Spontaneous locomotor activity and exploratory behavior of adult male and female rats prenatally exposed to MA (5 mg/kg) or saline were tested in a Laboras apparatus (Metris B.V., Netherlands) for 1 h. Challenge dose of the examined drug [amphetamine - 5 mg/kg; cocaine - 5mg/kg; MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine) - 5 mg/kg; morphine - 5 mg/kg; THC (delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol) - 2 mg/kg] or saline was injected prior to testing. Our data demonstrate that prenatal MA exposure did not affect behavior in male rats with cocaine or morphine treatment, but increased locomotion and exploration in females. Application of amphetamine and MDMA in adulthood increased activity in both sexes, while cocaine and THC only in female rats. Morphine, on the other hand, decreased the activity in the Laboras test in both sexes. As far as sex and estrous cycle is concerned, the present study shows that males were generally less active than females and also females in proestrus-estrus phase of the estrous cycle were more active than females in diestrus. In conclusion, the present study shows that the pr enatal MA exposure does not induce general sensitization but affects the sensitivity to drugs dependently to mechanism of drug action and with respect to gonadal hormones., R. Šlamberová ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
An epileptic seizure and postictal period in addition to well-known features are also characterize d by massive consumption of energy. This is thought to lead to oxidative stress and increased generation of free radicals, which is reflected by increased levels of oxidative products. Our previous work described the neuroprotective effects of melatonin in preventing cognitive worsening after a single epileptic seizure. This work was aimed on direct measurement of free radicals in brain tissue using the EPR method 1, 15 and 60 minutes after seizure. The measurement was performed in adult male Wistar rats at the mentioned intervals after a single tonic-clonic seizure induced by flurothyl. In comparison to control animals there was a significant increase in hydroxyl and nitroxyl radicals 60 minutes after the seizure. The levels of hydroxyl radicals were significantly lower in animals that received melatonin 60 minutes before seizure induction compared to animals without preventive treatment. Therefore, melatonin affected th e generation of the measured free radicals differently. An important finding was the delayed increase in free radicals after a single seizure in the later phases of recovery., J. Mareš ... [et al.]., and Obsahuje bibliografii a bibliografické odkazy
Since close relationship was shown between drug addiction and memory formation, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of interaction between prenatal methamphetamine (MA) exposure and MA treatment in adulthood on spatial and non-spatial memory and on the structure of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the hippocampus. Adult male rats prenatally exposed to MA (5 mg/kg) or saline were tested in adulthood. Non-spatial memory was examined in the Object Recognition Test (ORT) and spatial memory in the Object Location Test (OLT) and in the Memory Retention Test (MRT) conducted in the Morris Water Maze (MWM), respectively. Based on the type of the memory test animals were injected either acutely (ORT, OLT) or long-term (MWM) with MA (1 mg/kg). After each testing, animals were sacrificed and brains were removed. The hippocampus was then examined in Western Blot analysis for occurrence of different NMDA receptors’ subtypes. Our results demonstrated that prenatal MA exposure affects the development of the NMDA receptors in the hippocampus that might correspond with improvement of spatial memory tested in adulthood in the MWM. On the other hand, the effect of prenatal MA exposure on nonspatial memory examined in the ORT was the opposite. In addition, we showed that the effect of MA administration in adulthood on NMDA receptors is influenced by prenatal MA exposure, which seems to correlate with the spatial memory examined in the OLT., R. Šlamberová, M. Vrajová, B. Schutová, M. Mertlová, E. Macúchová, K. Nohejlová, L. Hrubá, J. Puskarčíková, V. bubeníková-Valešová, A. Yamamotová., and Obsahuje bibliografii