Embryonic macrophages and microglia ablation alter the development of dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons in mouse embryos.

Microglia are known to regulate several aspects of the development of the central nervous system. When microglia colonize the spinal cord, from E11.5 in the mouse embryo, they interact with growing central axons of dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons (SNs), which suggests that they may have some functions in SN development.

Can coconut oil and treadmill exercise during the critical period of brain development ameliorate stress-related effects on anxiety-like behavior and episodic-like memory in young rats?

Objective: Virgin coconut oil (CO) and treadmill exercise have been reported to improve memory performance in young rats. CO has also been associated with antistress properties in young, stressed mice. Therefore, in this study we aimed to investigate whether CO and treadmill exercise could synergistically ameliorate the effects of chronic stress on anxiety-like behavior and episodic-like memory in young rats.

Do the accelerating actions of tianeptine and l-arginine on cortical spreading depression interact? An electrophysiological analysis in young and adult rats.

In the rat, we previously demonstrated that serotonin-enhancing drugs impair cortical spreading depression (CSD) and that l-arginine (arginine) treatment enhances CSD. Here, we investigated the interaction between topical application of the serotonin uptake enhancer tianeptine and systemic arginine administration on CSD. From postnatal day 7-28, female Wistar rats (n=40) received by gavage 300mg/Kg/day arginine (n=20) or water (n=20).

Tianeptine facilitates spreading depression in well-nourished and early-malnourished adult rats.

Nutritional status during development can modify the brain's electrophysiological properties and its response to drugs that reduce the serotonin availability in the synaptic cleft. Here we used cortical spreading depression (CSD) in the rat as a neurophysiological parameter to investigate the interaction between nutritional status and treatment with tianeptine, a serotonin uptake enhancer. From postnatal day 2 to 24, well-nourished and early-malnourished rat pups were s.

Differential effects of physical exercise and L-arginine on cortical spreading depression in developing rats.

Objective: We investigated the effect of early-in-life administration of L-arginine, combined with physical exercise, on cortical spreading depression (CSD) in young and adult rats.

Methods: L-arginine (300 mg/kg/day, n = 40) or distilled water (vehicle, n = 40) was given to the rats during postnatal days 7-35 by gavage. Physical exercise (treadmill) was carried out during postnatal days 15-35 in half of the animals in each gavage condition described above.

L-glutamine supplementation during the lactation period facilitates cortical spreading depression in well-nourished and early-malnourished rats.

Aims: Glutamine (Gln) participates in the so-called "brain glutamine-glutamate cycle" and therefore it is likely to influence brain excitability. Here we investigated, in weaned well-nourished and early-malnourished rats, the effects of previous Gln oral supplementation, during the brain development period, on cortical spreading depression (CSD), an excitability-related brain phenomenon.

Main Methods: Male Wistar (W) suckling rat pups, well-nourished (litters with 6 pups) and malnourished (M) during lactation (by increasing the litters to 12 pups), received Gln (500 mg/kg/day) by gavage during postnatal days 7 to 27.

Early malnutrition, but not age, modulates in the rat the L-Arginine facilitating effect on cortical spreading depression.

Nutritional factors acting during brain development can permanently alter brain electrophysiology. L-Arginine is the precursor of nitric oxide synthesis, which can modulate brain function. Here we investigated the effect of early-in-life administration (during postnatal days 7-28) of L-Arginine (300 mg/(kg day)) on cortical spreading depression (CSD), recorded in well-nourished and malnourished (large litters technique) rats aged 30-40 days (young) and 90-110 days (adult).