Morphological changes in the midbrain dopaminergic cells in response to new environmental and after electrical stimulation of the ventral tegmental area in rats

• Autorzy: Jerzemowska G. , Plucinska K. , Kulikowski M. , Wrona D.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

The aim of the study was to test whether increased activity of the telencephalic dopaminergic systems found in rats differing in locomotor activity to novelty (high responders; HR or low responders; LR) is associated with differences in the morphology of cells containing the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the main group of the brain dopaminergic neurons. The morphology of cells were analyzed in conditions of exposure to a new environment and after chronic electrical stimulation of the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Two groups of male Wistar rats were used: subjected to a new environment (moving from vivarium to the experimental room) and subjected to a 14-day unilateral electrical stimulation of the VTA, which produces behavioral signs of psychomotor activation. After termination of the stimulation procedure, all rats were subjected to the immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent staining of neurons expressing TH (TH+ cells). We analyzed the whole cell: measure area (μm2 ), perimeter, major and minor axis length (μm) and circularity factor (μm2 / μm2 ). We found that chronic electrical stimulation of the VTA causes significant changes in the morphology of TH+ cells as manifested by changes in their normal shape and distribution of pigment (immunohistochemical labeling: in the rats after stimulation of the VTA in comparison to the naive gropus grayscale value >70% vs >50%), as well as increasing the size of cells in both HR and LR rats (immunofluorescence labeling: area p<0.01, perimeter p<0.001, major axis length p<0.05 and circularity factor p<0.05 in the HR and LR rats after stimulation of the VTA in comparison to the HR and LR naive rats). The results obtained suggest that individual behavioral and neurochemical differences which are correlated with increased susceptibility to stress and propensity to develop drug addictions, which characterize HR animals, may be connected with alterations in the morphology and activity of the dopaminergic systems.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis
• Rocznik: 2011
• Tom: 71
• Numer: S
• Opis fizyczny: p.61

Twórcy

autor

Jerzemowska G.

• Department of Animal Physiology, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland

autor

Plucinska K.

• Department of Animal Physiology, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland

autor

Kulikowski M.

• Department of Animal Physiology, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland

autor

Wrona D.

• Department of Animal Physiology, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland

Uwagi

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