Influence of low-dose neonatal domoic acid on the spontaneous behavior of rats in early adulthood.

Consumption of seafood containing toxin domoic acid (DA) causes an alteration of glutamatergic signaling pathways and could lead to various signs of neurotoxicity in animals and humans. Neonatal treatment with domoic acid was suggested as valuable model of schizophrenia and epilepsy. We tested how repeated early postnatal DA administration influences the spontaneous behavior of rats in adulthood.

Magnesium and posthypoxic changes of nitrergic population in rat hippocampus.

We used NADPH-diaphorase staining to study effects of magnesium pre-treatment during long-lasting hypoxia on the brain structure of rats. NADPH-diaphorase is an enzyme co-localized in neurons with NO-synthase that is responsible for NO synthesis. NO participates in hypoxic-ischaemic injury of the brain.

Significance of the plasma membrane for the nerve cell function, development and plasticity.

Lipoid character of plasma membrane namely the presence of polyenic fatty acids enables to interact with membrane proteins and in certain extent also to modulate their function. During the development, molecules of membrane fatty acids become more and more complex, and the ratio of polyenic fatty acids/saturated fatty acids in the brain rises, while the concentration of monoenic fatty acids remained relatively stable. This phenomenon is apparent also in the ratio of unsaturated fatty acids OMEGA-3 in plasma of newborns which correlates with the birth weight.

[Kainic acid and neurobiology].

Kainic acid, the analog of excitatory amino acid L-glutamate, interacts with specific receptors in the central nervous system. During last 25 years it has become a tool for studying many human brain disorders, for example human temporal lobe epilepsy, Huntington's chorea etc. Systemic administration of kainic acid results in neuronal death in experimental animals.

Pentylentetrazol associated changes of hippocampal neurons in immature rats.

Using histochemical analysis, the NADPH-diaphorase, Fluoro-Jade B and bis-benzimide (Hoechst 33342) the effect of intraperitoneal administration of pentylentetrazol (PTZ) on hippocampal neurons was studied. 18-day-old male rats of the Wistar strain received PTZ (60 mg/kg) in one dose. The next day, the 19-day-old animals were transcardially perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde under deep thiopental anaesthesia.