Poly(I:C)-induced maternal immune activation causes elevated self-grooming in male rat offspring: Involvement of abnormal postpartum static nursing in dam.

Maternal immune activation (MIA) is closely related to the onset of autism-like behaviors in offspring, but the mechanism remains unclear. Maternal behaviors can influence offspring's development and behaviors, as indicated in both human and animal studies. We hypothesized that abnormal maternal behaviors in MIA dams might be other factors leading to delayed development and abnormal behaviors in offspring.

Involvement of Opioid Peptides in the Analgesic Effect of Spinal Cord Stimulation in a Rat Model of Neuropathic Pain.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS)-induced analgesia was characterized, and its underlying mechanisms were examined in a spared nerve injury model of neuropathic pain in rats. The analgesic effect of SCS with moderate mechanical hypersensitivity was increased with increasing stimulation intensity between the 20% and 80% motor thresholds. Various frequencies (2, 15, 50, 100, 10000 Hz, and 2/100 Hz dense-dispersed) of SCS were similarly effective.

Comparison of the Metabolic Profiles in the Plasma and Urine Samples Between Autistic and Typically Developing Boys: A Preliminary Study.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is defined as a pervasive developmental disorder which is caused by genetic and environmental risk factors. Besides the core behavioral symptoms, accumulated results indicate children with ASD also share some metabolic abnormalities. To analyze the comprehensive metabolic profiles in both of the first-morning urine and plasma samples collected from the same cohort of autistic boys.

Responses of Primary Afferent Fibers to Acupuncture-Like Peripheral Stimulation at Different Frequencies: Characterization by Single-Unit Recording in Rats.

The pain-relieving effect of acupuncture is known to involve primary afferent nerves (PANs) via their roles in signal transmission to the CNS. Using single-unit recording in rats, we characterized the generation and transmission of electrical signals in Aβ and Aδ fibers induced by acupuncture-like stimuli. Acupuncture-like signals were elicited in PANs using three techniques: manual acupuncture (MAc), emulated acupuncture (EAc), and electro-acupuncture (EA)-like peripheral electrical stimulation (PES).

Altered Behaviors and Impaired Synaptic Function in a Novel Rat Model With a Complete Deletion.

Mutations within the gene, which encodes a key postsynaptic density (PSD) protein at glutamatergic synapses, contribute to the genetic etiology of defined autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), including Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PMS) and intellectual disabilities (ID). Although there are a series of genetic mouse models to study gene in ASDs, there are few rat models with species-specific advantages. In this study, we established and characterized a novel rat model with a deletion spanning exons 11-21 of , leading to a complete loss of the major SHANK3 isoforms.