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. , Szydlowska K. , Lukasiuk K.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

INTRODUCTION: The environment plays an influential role in the development of many brain disorders; however, its role in modulation of the epilepsy phenotype has not been studied in detail. AIM(S): The aim of this study was to investigate whether environmental enrichment impacts anxiety and learning in an experimental model of epilepsy. METHOD(S): Male Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated to either environmentally enriched (EE; n=13) or standard housing conditions (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). The following tests were conducted to assess the behavior of animals: behavioral hyperexcitability, open field, new object recognition, elevated plus maze, social interactions, and the 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 Blood was withdrawn on days 7 and 29 after stimulation and on the day of perfusion, to assess cortisol levels.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, a decrease in total distance traveled in the social interactions test, and decreased touch-response in the behavioral hyperexcitability test. SH animals showed impaired spatial memory and learning as compared to EE animals. Rats from the EE group spent more time near a platform in the Morris Water Maze test. Moreover, in RODA analysis, EE control animals showed a trend towards lower thigmotaxis compared to SH animals starting from the 2nd day trial 2, with a significant difference obtained in the 3rd day. Blood analysis demonstrated that SH rats had a significantly higher level of cortisol 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: 2019
• Tom: 79
• Numer: Suppl.1
• Opis fizyczny: p.LXXVII-LXXVIII

Twórcy

autor

Stepniak A.

• Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

autor

Nizinska K.

• Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

autor

Szydlowska K.

• Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland

autor

Lukasiuk K.

• Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland