Cognition, Behavior, and Memory
Author: Leandro Champarini | Email: leandro.champarini@unc.edu.ar
Leandro Gabriel Champarini 1°, Macarena Lorena Herrera 1°, Matías Javega Cometto 1°, Aracely Naranjo Viteri 1°, Rosana Crespo 1°, Gastón Diego Calfa 1°, Claudia Beatriz Hereñú 1°
1° Instituto de Farmacología Experimental Córdoba (IFEC-CONICET) – Departamento de Farmacología Otto Orsingher. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina.
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons, resulting in a range of motor and non-motor symptoms. Although motor deficits are the main criteria for diagnosis, there is growing evidence that non-motor symptoms may also play an important role in the disease progression. We aimed to investigate the possible effect of IGF-1 in the progression of emotional-like behavior deficits in a rat model of neurotoxicity inducedby 6-OHDA infusion into the dorsolateral striatum. We assessed the behavioral changes in male Wistar rats after 1, 2 and 3 weeks post-lesion using the elevated plus maze, light-dark box, and forced swimming tests. After 6-OHDA infusion, immunohistochemical analysis revealed a decrease in tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, and striatum, indicating partial lesion of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. Furthermore, we found an increase in mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1 in the striatum. Our results showed anxiety-like behavior at 2 and 3 weeks post-lesion, beforethe onset of motor impairment. And IGF-1 was able to prevent such behavior at week 3.