TY - JOUR
T1 - Fetal asphyctic preconditioning protects against perinatal asphyxia-induced behavioral consequences in adulthood
AU - Strackx, Eveline
AU - Van den Hove, Daniel L. A.
AU - Prickaerts, Jos
AU - Zimmermann, Luc
AU - Steinbusch, Harry W. M.
AU - Blanco, Carlos E.
AU - Gavilanes, Danilo A. W.
AU - Vles, J. S. Hans
PY - 2010/4/2
Y1 - 2010/4/2
N2 - Perinatal asphyxia is one of the major causes of neuronal injury and impaired development in infants. We recently have shown that a brief episode of experimental fetal asphyxia (FA) can provoke an endogenous neuroprotection against subsequent severe perinatal asphyxia (SPA). The long-lasting functional consequences of FA preconditioning are not clear yet. The aim of the study was to determine if FA preconditioning can provide a long-lasting behavioral protection against SPA. FA was induced, as a preconditioning stimulus, by clamping the uterine vasculature for 30 min on E17. At birth, SPA was induced by placing the uterine horns in a water bath for 19 mm. At 6 months of age, functional outcome was assessed using different behavioral tests: the open field for locomotor activity, the elevated zero maze for anxiety-related behavior, the forced swim test for depression-related behavior and the object recognition task for cognition. Data showed that FA preconditioning improved postnatal mortality after SPA. At the age of 6 months, the total distance moved in the open field and elevated zero maze was significantly less in the SPA group compared to the control groups. In addition, cognitive performance in the object recognition task was impaired in the SPA offspring compared to the control groups. Most importantly, FA preconditioning was able to preserve both locomotor activity and cognition function. In conclusion, FA preconditioning induces a long-lasting, functional protection against SPA. Therefore, this model seems to offer good opportunities for the identification and characterization of the underlying mechanisms of preconditioning.
AB - Perinatal asphyxia is one of the major causes of neuronal injury and impaired development in infants. We recently have shown that a brief episode of experimental fetal asphyxia (FA) can provoke an endogenous neuroprotection against subsequent severe perinatal asphyxia (SPA). The long-lasting functional consequences of FA preconditioning are not clear yet. The aim of the study was to determine if FA preconditioning can provide a long-lasting behavioral protection against SPA. FA was induced, as a preconditioning stimulus, by clamping the uterine vasculature for 30 min on E17. At birth, SPA was induced by placing the uterine horns in a water bath for 19 mm. At 6 months of age, functional outcome was assessed using different behavioral tests: the open field for locomotor activity, the elevated zero maze for anxiety-related behavior, the forced swim test for depression-related behavior and the object recognition task for cognition. Data showed that FA preconditioning improved postnatal mortality after SPA. At the age of 6 months, the total distance moved in the open field and elevated zero maze was significantly less in the SPA group compared to the control groups. In addition, cognitive performance in the object recognition task was impaired in the SPA offspring compared to the control groups. Most importantly, FA preconditioning was able to preserve both locomotor activity and cognition function. In conclusion, FA preconditioning induces a long-lasting, functional protection against SPA. Therefore, this model seems to offer good opportunities for the identification and characterization of the underlying mechanisms of preconditioning.
KW - Preconditioning
KW - Fetal asphyxia
KW - Perinatal asphyxia
KW - Locomotion
KW - Anxiety
KW - Object memory
U2 - 10.1016/j.bbr.2009.11.040
DO - 10.1016/j.bbr.2009.11.040
M3 - Article
C2 - 19962408
SN - 0166-4328
VL - 208
SP - 343
EP - 351
JO - Behavioural Brain Research
JF - Behavioural Brain Research
IS - 2
ER -