Impact of environmental enrichment on anxiety and learning in the rat model of epilepsy induced by electrical stimulation of the amygdala

• Autorzy: Stepniak A. , Nizinska K. , Lukasiuk K. , Szydlowska K.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

INTRODUCTION: Environment plays influential role in the development of many brain disorders, however its role in modulation of epilepsy phenotype has not been studied in details. AIM(S): The aim of this study was to investigate whether environmental enrichment impacts anxiety and learning in experimental model of epilepsy. METHOD(S): Male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated to either environmentally enriched (EE; n=13) or standard housing condition (SH; n=13). Epilepsy was induced by SE (Status epilepticus) evoked by electrical stimulation of the amygdala (25 min, 100 ms train of 1 ms, 60 Hz bipolar pulses, 400 μA, every 0.5 s). Following tests were conducted to assess the behavior of animals: behavioral hyperexcitability, open field, new object recognition, elevated plus maze, social interactions, and Morris water maze. Blood was withdrawn on days 7 and 29 after stimulation and on the day of perfusion to assess cortisol levels. RESULTS: Environmental enrichment significantly reduced anxiety levels. We observed, reduced mobility in the open field test (EE=2.6±3.3; SH=179.1±107.8 s; p<0,0001), decrease in total distance travelled in the social interactions test (EE=1210.2±574.4; SH=2937.0±711.3 cm; p<0,0001) or decreased touch-response test in the behavioral hyperexcitability test (score: EE=2.1±1.1; SH=3.6±1.8; p<0,0001). SH animals showed impaired spatial memory and learning compared to EE animals. Rats from EE group spent more time near platform (EE=25.5±4.7; SH=21.5±5.0 s; p<0,05) in Morris Water Maze test. Moreover, SH rats showed hyperactivity and thigmotaxis. Blood analysis demonstrated that SH rats had significantly higher level of cortisol (EE=0.4±0.7; SH=1.1±0.6 µg/dl; p<0,01) compared to EE rats. CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicates that environmental enrichment had beneficial effects on anxiety and learning and memory, which may be caused by lower stress hormone levels. FINANCIAL SUPPORT: This work was supported by the FP7-HEALTH project 602102 (EPITARGET) and Polish Ministry of Science and Education grant W19/7. PR/2014.

• Wydawca: -
• Czasopismo: Acta Neurobiologiae Experimentalis
• Rocznik: 2017
• Tom: 77
• Numer: Suppl.1
• Opis fizyczny: p.119

Twórcy

autor

Stepniak A.

• Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland

autor

Nizinska K.

• Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland

autor

Lukasiuk K.

• Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland

autor

Szydlowska K.

• Department of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Biology, Warsaw, Poland