产前应激子代大鼠海马可塑性改变诱导抑郁样行为的发生

研究旨在探索海马可塑性改变在产前应激(PS)子代大鼠抑郁样行为中的作用。通过建立大鼠产前束缚应激模型,采用强迫游泳实验检测子代大鼠的抑郁样行为,快速Golgi染色观察海马CA1区锥体细胞顶树突的树突棘密度,Western-blotting检测海马脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF)的表达。结果发现,与对照组相比较,PS组雌、雄子代大鼠强迫游泳实验(FST)中的不动时间均明显增加,有统计学差异(P0.05),而且PS组雌性子代大鼠的不动时间较雄性子代更加延长(P0.05)。PS组雌、雄子代大鼠海马CA1区锥体细胞的顶树突棘密度均较对照组显著减少(P0.05),PS组雌、雄子代之间无统计学差异。PS组雌、雄子代大鼠海马的BDNF表达均较对照组显著减少(P0.05),PS组雌、雄子代之间亦无显著性差异。这些结果说明海马CA1区锥体细胞的树突棘密度减少和海马BDNF表达减少参与PS导致的子代大鼠抑郁样行为的发生。

Changes in hippocampal plasticity induced by prenatal stress induce the depression-like behavior

Objective: This study aimed to explore the hippocampal neuroplasticity in depression-like behavior caused by prenatal stress (PS) in offspring rats. Methods: In the present study, the rat model of prenatal restraint stress was set up and one-month old offspring were used. The forced swimming test (FST) was employed to detect the depression-like behaviors. Rapid Golgi staining was used to observe and count the apical dendritic spine density of pyramidal neurons in CA1 area of hippocampus. The expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in hippocampus was detected by Western-blotting. Results: In the FST, the immobile time of the offspring rats in the PS group was significantly longer than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the female offspring had longer immobility time than the male (P<0.05). The dendritic spine density of the pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 area in offspring rats in the PS group was significantly decreased compared with that in the control group (P<0.05) and there was no different between the female and male. Furthermore, the expression of BDNF in hippocampus of the offspring rats in the PS group was reduced compared with that in the control group (P<0.05), and there was no different between the female and male. Conclusions: The decline of apical dendritic spine density of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 area and decrease of the expression of BDNF are involved in depression-like behavior caused by PS in offspring rats.