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Neonatal Handling Impairs Spatial Memory and Leads to Altered Nitric Oxide Production and DNA Breaks in A Sex Specific Manner

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Abstract

Early life events lead to behavioral and neurochemical changes in adulthood. The aim of this study is to verify the effects of neonatal handling on spatial memory, nitric oxide (NO) production, antioxidant enzymatic activities and DNA breaks in the hippocampus of male and female adult rats. Litters of rats were non-handled or handled (10 min/day, days 1–10 after birth). In adulthood they were subjected to a Morris water maze or used for biochemical evaluations. Female handled rats showed impairment in spatial learning. They also showed decreased NO production, while no effects were observed in these parameters in male rats. No effects were observed on the number of hippocampal NADPH diaphorase positive cells. In the Comet Assay, male handled rats showed increased DNA breaks index when compared to non-handled ones. We conclude that neonatal handling impairs learning performance in a sex-specific manner, what may be related to NO decreased levels.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Paula Rigon for support with NADPH-d technique and Luisa D. Fitarelli for help with the behavioral procedures.

Financial support

National Research Council of Brazil (CNPq), CAPES, FAPERGS-PRONEX and FINEP/Rede IBN 01.06.0842-00.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básica da Saúde, ICBS, UFRGS (Saúde), Ramiro Barcellos, 2600, anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil

    Cristie Grazziotin Noschang, Rachel Krolow, Fernanda Urruth Fontella, Danusa M. Arcego, Luísa Amália Diehl, Simone Nardin Weis, Nice S. Arteni & Carla Dalmaz

  2. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básica da Saúde, ICBS, UFRGS (Saúde), Ramiro Barcellos, 2600, anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil

    Cristie Grazziotin Noschang, Rachel Krolow, Simone Nardin Weis & Carla Dalmaz

  3. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básica da Saúde, ICBS, UFRGS (Saúde), Ramiro Barcellos, 2600, anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil

    Luísa Amália Diehl & Carla Dalmaz

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  1. Cristie Grazziotin Noschang
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Correspondence to Carla Dalmaz.

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Noschang, C.G., Krolow, R., Fontella, F.U. et al. Neonatal Handling Impairs Spatial Memory and Leads to Altered Nitric Oxide Production and DNA Breaks in A Sex Specific Manner. Neurochem Res 35, 1083–1091 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-010-0158-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11064-010-0158-7

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