Nandrolone-induced aggressive behavior is associated with alterations in extracellular glutamate homeostasis in mice.

Nandrolone decanoate (ND), an anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS), induces an aggressive phenotype by mechanisms involving glutamate-induced N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAr) hyperexcitability. The astrocytic glutamate transporters remove excessive glutamate surrounding the synapse. However, the impact of supraphysiological doses of ND on glutamate transporters activity remains elusive.

Caffeine consumption prevents memory impairment, neuronal damage, and adenosine A2A receptors upregulation in the hippocampus of a rat model of sporadic dementia.

Intracerebroventricular (icv) streptozotocin (STZ) administration induces pathological and behavioral alterations similar to those observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is thus considered an experimental model of sporadic AD. Since caffeine (an adenosine receptor antagonist) and selective antagonists of adenosine A2A receptors modify the course of memory impairment in different amyloid-β-based experimental models of AD, we now tested the impact of caffeine on STZ-induced dementia and associated neurodegeneration in the hippocampus as well as on the expression and density of adenosine receptors. Adult male rats received a bilateral infusion of saline or STZ (3 mg/kg, icv), which triggered memory deficits after four weeks, as gauged by impaired object recognition memory.

Impairment of the organization of locomotor and exploratory behaviors in bile duct-ligated rats.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) arises from acute or chronic liver diseases and leads to several problems, including motor impairment. Animal models of chronic liver disease have extensively investigated the mechanisms of this disease. Impairment of locomotor activity has been described in different rat models.

Enriched environment effects on behavior, memory and BDNF in low and high exploratory mice.

Environmental enrichment (EE) has been largely used to investigate behavioral modifications and neuroplasticity in the adult brain both in normal and pathological conditions. The interaction between individual behavioral traits with EE responsiveness has not been investigated within the same strain. By using two extremes of CF1 mice that differ by their exploratory behavior in the Open Field (OF) task (Kazlauckas V, 2005), denominated as Low (LE) and High (HE) Exploratory Mice, the present study evaluated if EE during adulthood could modify the putative differences between LE and HE mice on exploratory behavior, memory performance and hippocampal BDNF levels.

Distinctive effects of unpredictable subchronic stress on memory, serum corticosterone and hippocampal BDNF levels in high and low exploratory mice.

Stress affects learning and memory processes and sensitivity to stress greatly varies between individuals. We studied behavioral and neurobiological effects of unpredictable subchronic stress (USCS) in two behavioral extremes of mice from the same strain (CF1) selected by their exploratory behavior of the central arena of an open field. The top and bottom 25% explorers were classified as low exploratory (LE) and high exploratory (HE) mice, respectively.

Adenosine A1 receptors are modified by acute treatment with methylphenidate in adult mice.

In recent years misuse of methylphenidate (MPH) has been reported. The main pharmacological target of methylphenidate is the dopaminergic system. Adenosine is a neuromodulator that influences the dopaminergic neurotransmission, but studies on MPH and adenosine are still lacking.

Diphenyl diselenide exerts anxiolytic-like effect in Wistar rats: putative roles of GABAA and 5HT receptors.

Diphenyl diselenide [(PhSe)2] is an organoselenium compound which presents pharmacological antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and antidepressant properties. The present study was designed to investigate the anxiolytic effect of (PhSe)2 in rats, employing the elevated plus maze task. The involvement of 5HT and GABA receptors in the anxiolytic-like effect was also evaluated.

A simple webcam-based approach for the measurement of rodent locomotion and other behavioural parameters.

We hereby describe a simple and inexpensive approach to evaluate the position and locomotion of rodents in an arena. The system is based on webcam registering of animal behaviour with subsequent analysis on customized software. Based on black/white differentiation, it provides rapid evaluation of animal position over a period of time, and can be used in a myriad of behavioural tasks in which locomotion, velocity or place preference are variables of interest.

Behavioral and cognitive profile of mice with high and low exploratory phenotypes.

Temperament is the heritable and relatively stable pattern of basic emotions, such as fear and anger. We explored behavioral features in mice to select distinct phenotypes with extremes of temperament. In a new environment (open-field) with a central object, two groups of 15 mice from 79 screened were separated according to high or low exploration of the object to compose the high and low exploratory groups, respectively.