Lavandula angustifolia and combination of Lavandula angustifolia and Zataria multiflora administration attenuates prenatal lead-exposed induced learning and memory impairments in male rats

J of Neuroscience Research

Masoumi‐Ardakani

et al. 2021

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Early-life experiences, including parental care, affect cognitive performance later in life. Being exposed to early-life maternal separation (MS) increases susceptibility to stress-related psychopathology. Previous studies suggest that MS could induce learning and memory impairments. Since enriched environment (EE) provides more opportunities for exploration and social interaction, in the present study we evaluated the effects of a short EE paradigm with a duration of 13 days on cognitive abilities of maternally separated rats (MS; 180 min/day, postnatal day (PND) 1-21) during adolescence in four experimental groups: Control, Control+EE, MS, and MS+EE.Plasma corticosterone (CORT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels were also measured in experimental animals. We also studied the induction of longterm potentiation (LTP) in the slices of hippocampal CA1 area. The behavioral and electrophysiological assessments were started at PND 35. MS caused higher basal CORT levels in plasma and impaired spatial learning, memory, and social interaction.LTP induction was also impaired in MS rats and plasma BDNF levels were reduced in these animals. MS also induced more anxiety-like behavior. Short EE reduced plasma CORT levels had the potential to improve locomotor activity and anxiety-like behavior in MS+EE rats and reversed MS-induced impairments of spatial learning, memory, and social behavior. LTP induction and plasma BDNF levels were also enhanced in MS+EE rats. We concluded that short EE might be considered as a therapeutic strategy for promoting cognition.

Section: Morris Water Maze (Mwm) Testmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of short environmental enrichment on early‐life adversity induced cognitive alternations in adolescent rats

J of Neuroscience Research

Masoumi‐Ardakani

et al. 2021

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“…A single probe trial was given 2 h after the last training trial to test the short‐term spatial memory in the water maze. In this trial, the platform was removed and the rat was allowed to swim for 60 s. The time and distance spent in the target quadrant were analyzed as a measure of spatial memory retention (Taheri et al, 2017; Vorhees & Williams, 2006).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following the probe trial, rats had to complete a visible platform test, so the ability of animals to escape to a visible platform was evaluated while the platform was raised 2 cm above the water and was visible with an aluminum foil. This test was performed to determine any possibility of treatment interference with sensory and motor coordination or motivation in the dams (Taheri et al, 2017).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal separation impairs mother's cognition 1 month beyond the separation

Sheibani

Intl J of Devlp Neuroscience

et al. 2021

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Background: Separation of pups from their dam during the infancy not only has detrimental effects on the pups' brain but also affects dams' behavior. Postpartum stress may affect mothers' cognitive functions. In the present study, by using a 180 min/day maternal separation (MS) paradigm, we assessed anxiety-like behavior (in the elevated plus maze) and locomotor activity (in the open eld) of rat dams which experienced separation from postnatal day (PND) 1 until weaning. Since no study has ever investigated MS effects on spatial learning and memory of dams in the Morris water maze, we tried for the rst time to clarify whether such separation impairs dam's performance in the Morris water maze.Methods:We assessed dams' behavior at three time points; 24 hours, 1 week and 1 month after weaning.Therefore, the six groups consisted of control (CTRL); 24h, 1week and 1month and MS; 24h, 1week and 1month was allocated in this study.Results: Our results revealed that although MS-24h and MS-1week groups had intact locomotor activity, MS-1month group showed less locomotor activity in the open eld. Moreover, MS induced anxiety-like behavior was more pronounced in MS-1week and MS-1month dams. Spatial learning and memory was also impaired only in MS-1month dams.Conclusions: We can conclude that MS induces cognitive impairments in dam that may appear not immediately after the separation, but a few weeks after such stressful event.

“…A single probe trial was given 24 hr after the last training trial to test the long‐term spatial memory in the water maze. In this trial, the platform was removed and the rat was allowed to swim for 60 s. The time and distance spent in the target quadrant (quadrant 4) were analyzed as a measure of spatial memory retention (Taheri et al., 2017; Vorhees & Williams, 2006).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intergenerational effects of maternal separation on cognitive abilities of adolescent rats

Intl J of Devlp Neuroscience

Taherizadeh

et al. 2020

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The effects of disruption or alteration of early rearing experience and its negative effects on cognition and social behaviors have been studied in primates (Fleming et al., 2002). Early life adversity (ELA), as a potent developmental disruptor (Coley et al., 2019), has long-lasting effects on an individual's mental health (Xiong et al., 2015). ELA could alter physiology and behavior (Coley et al., 2019) and induces changes in DNA methylation, gene transcription, and stress hormone levels. Maternal separation (MS), a well-characterized model of ELA, may lead to behavioral deficits such as learning and memory problems (