Does a therapeutical dose of ivermectin impairs testicular homeostasis of rats via excessive apoptosis?

Ivermectin is a medication used to treat parasite infestations in humans and in veterinary medicine. Previously we showed that therapeutical doses of ivermectin impaired spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis in adult rats. The present study was proposed to understand the pathophysiological mechanism that triggered these impairments induced by ivermectin.

The dopaminergic D1 receptor modulates the hyperactivity of Bapa mutant mice.

The mutant bate-palmas ("claps"; symbol - bapa) mice induced by the mutagenic chemical ENU present motor incoordination and postural alterations. A previous study showed that bapa mice present increased motor/exploratory behaviors during the prepubertal period due to increased striatal tyrosine hydroxylase expression, suggesting striatal dopaminergic system hyperactivity. This study aimed to evaluate the involvement of striatal dopaminergic receptors in the hyperactivity of bapa mice.

Psychomotor and neurofunctional aspects after COVID-19.

Objective: The pandemic caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 virus) has infected more than 646 million people and caused more than 6.6 million deaths worldwide (December/2022). It is surprising that a virus that affects airways can trigger neurological manifestations.

Prenatal restraint stress downregulates the hypothalamic kisspeptidergic system transcripts genes, reduces the estrogen plasma levels, delayed the onset of puberty, and reduced the sexual behavior intensity in female rats.

Aims: This study investigated the possible relationships between the expression of the Kiss1 and Gpr54 gene expressions and the pituitary-gonadal hormones with the female onset of puberty and sexual behavior. The Kiss1 and Gpr54 gene expressions were examined because they are critical to controlling the hypothalamic activation of GnRH neurons and, in turn, the pituitary-gonadal hormones related to the early onset of puberty and sexual behavior. Further, it was evaluated that the pituitary and gonadal hormones involved in the vaginal opening and the expression of sexual behavior.

LPS-induced sickness behavior is not affected by selenium but is switched off by psychogenic stress in rats.

Sickness behavior (SB) is considered part of the adaptive behavioral and neuroimmune changes that occur in response to inflammatory processes. However, SB is a motivational state modulated by the environmental context. The objective of this study was to evaluate if selenium could ameliorate symptoms of SB and if stress would affect these responses.

Exposure of dams to fluoxetine during lactation disturbs maternal behavior but had no effect on the offspring behavior.

Fluoxetine is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for treatment of depression during pregnancy as well as postpartum. Nevertheless, fluoxetine can cross the placental barrier and/or be secreted through breastmilk and questions remain unanswered regarding safety of the unborn and/or nursing infant. Passive administration of antidepressants to infants can cause neurological developmental delay and/or dysfunction.

Chemobrain in rats: Behavioral, morphological, oxidative and inflammatory effects of doxorubicin administration.

Doxorubicin (DOX) is known to cause cognitive impairments in patients submitted to long-term chemotherapy (deficits also known as chemobrain). The present study investigated whether DOX administration could affect behavior and brain morphology, as well as oxidative and inflammatory status in rats. Male Wistar rats were injected with DOX (2.

Combination of ketamine and xylazine with opioids and acepromazine in rats: Physiological changes and their analgesic effect analysed by ultrasonic vocalization.

In this study, the effect of four anaesthetic protocols that included the combination of xylazine (X) and ketamine (K) with acepromazine (A) and opioids (methadone (Me), morphine (Mo) or tramadol (T)) was evaluated in laboratory rats of both sexes. Ultrasonic vocalization (USV) was used as an indicator of pain during the recovery period. The objective was to evaluate the physiological parameters and the analgesic effect of each protocol to determine which protocol was the safest and fulfil the requirements of a balanced anaesthesia.

Reduced astrocytic expression of GFAP in the offspring of female rats that received hypercaloric diet.

Obesity promotes hypothalamic inflammation and local morphological changes in astrocytes, including the increased expression of the astrocytic biomarker glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), which is seen as a sign of neuroinflammation. This study aimed to observe the astrocytic expression of GFAP in different brain areas from female rats that received a hypercaloric (HD) or a normocaloric (ND) diet during puberty (F0 generation) as well as in their male pups (F1 generation). Female rats received highly palatable HD (Ensure®) or ND from postnatal day (PND) 23-65.

Pioglitazone abolishes autistic-like behaviors via the IL-6 pathway.

Autism is characterized by social deficits, communication abnormalities, and repetitive behaviors. The risk factors appear to include genetic and environmental conditions, such as prenatal infections and maternal dietary factors. Previous investigations by our group have demonstrated that prenatal exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which mimics infections by gram-negative bacteria, induces autistic-like behaviors.

Propentofylline decreases hypothalamic astrogliosis induced by hypercaloric diet in the rat.

Obesity is associated with a chronic and low-grade inflammatory response in the hypothalamus, where astrogliosis occurs with the upregulation of the astrocyte structural protein GFAP. As propentofylline (PPF) has inhibitory effects on astrocyte and microglial activation during inflammation, this study aimed to investigate if this xanthine derivative could decrease the astrocyte reaction induced by a hypercaloric diet (HD). Male Wistar rats were divided into four groups: NDS - rats receiving a normocaloric diet (ND) and daily saline solution; NDP - rats receiving ND and daily PPF (12.

Zinc as a therapy in a rat model of autism prenatally induced by valproic acid.

Autism is characterized by numerous behavioral impairments, such as in communication, socialization and cognition. Recent studies have suggested that valproic acid (VPA), an anti-epileptic drug with teratogenic activity, is related to autism. In rodents, VPA exposure during pregnancy induces autistic-like effects.

Acute Lipopolysaccharide Switches the Selection of Maternal Behavior to Predatory Behavior in Female Rats.

Objectives: A common problem during the postpartum period and during lactation is being affected by infection due to Gram-negative bacteria. In this situation, a sick mother needs to choose between caring for her pups or the need for survival. This study analyzed the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced sickness behavior on selection between maternal behavior (MB) and predatory behavior (PB) in lactating rats.

Depressive behavior induced by unpredictable chronic mild stress increases dentin hypersensitivity in rats.

Objective: The present study evaluated the nociceptive response induced by dentin hypersensitivity after dental erosion in rats that were exhibited to unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS)-induced depressive-like behavior.

Design: Adult male rats were subjected to UCMS (depression [D] group) or not (no depression [ND] group) for 30days and received either acidic solution to induce dental erosion (E) or water (W), thus forming the WND, END, WD, and ED groups. After the end of treatment, depressive-like parameters (i.

Propentofylline Prevents Sickness Behavior and Depressive-Like Behavior Induced by Lipopolysaccharide in Rats via Neuroinflammatory Pathway.

Recent studies have demonstrated the intimate relationship between depression and immune disturbances. Aware of the efficacy limits of existing antidepressant drugs and the potential anti-inflammatory properties of propentofylline, we sought to evaluate the use of propentofylline as a depression treatment. We used a rat model of depression induced by repetitive lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administrations.

Lipopolysaccharide Exposure Induces Maternal Hypozincemia, and Prenatal Zinc Treatment Prevents Autistic-Like Behaviors and Disturbances in the Striatal Dopaminergic and mTOR Systems of Offspring.

Autism is characterized by social deficits, repetitive behaviors, and cognitive inflexibility. The risk factors appear to include genetic and environmental conditions, such as prenatal infections and maternal dietary factors. Previous investigations by our group have demonstrated that prenatal exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), which mimics infection by gram-negative bacteria, induces autistic-like behaviors.

Nepeta cataria L. var. citriodora (Becker) increases penile erection in rats.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Nepeta cataria (NC), catnip, induces pleasure in cats and humans.

Aim Of The Study: Because sexual behavior is involved in pleasure, the effect of NC on sexual behavior and penile erection was evaluated in male rats that were acutely fed chow enriched with 10% NC leaves. Further, yawning was monitored because we previously demonstrated that NC modifies dopaminergic-related behaviors and that sexual behavior is closely linked with the dopaminergic system.

Single early prenatal lipopolysaccharide exposure prevents subsequent airway inflammation response in an experimental model of asthma.

Aims: There has been emerging interest in the prenatal determinants of respiratory disease. In utero factors have been reported to play a role in airway development, inflammation, and remodeling. Specifically, prenatal exposure to endotoxins might regulate tolerance to allergens later in life.

Prenatal LPS exposure reduces olfactory perception in neonatal and adult rats.

Prenatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure causes reproductive, behavioral and neurochemical defects in both dams and pups. The present study evaluated male rats prenatally treated with LPS for behavioral and neurological effects related to the olfactory system, which is the main sensorial path in rodents. Pregnant Wistar rats received 100 μg/kg of LPS intraperitoneally (i.

Prenatal lipopolysaccharide reduces motor activity after an immune challenge in adult male offspring.

Prenatal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure causes reproductive, behavioral and neurochemical injuries in both the mother and pups. Previous investigations by our group showed that prenatal LPS administration (100 microg/kg, i.p.