Behavioral and ultrastructural changes induced by chronic neuroinflammation in young rats

We investigated the ultrastructural, immunohistochemical, biochemical and behavioral effects of chronic neuroinflammation in young rats produced by injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the 4th ventricle. The 37-day infusion of LPS impaired spatial memory but not object recognition ability. Electron microscopic studies of neurons within the hippocampus identified numerous paired cisternae of the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and other ultrastructural changes that suggested impaired or reduced synthesis of cellular proteins within the cytoplasm. Immunohistochemical staining found numerous highly activated microglia distributed throughout the cingulate gyrus, entorhinal cortex, hippocampus and dentate gyrus. This animal model may be useful to test potential pharmacotherapies that are directed at the prevention of the cytotoxic consequences of chronic neuroinflammation associated with normal aging or Alzheimer's disease.