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Published on: December 4, 2013
[Effects of gestational isoflurane exposure on postnatal memory and learning in rats]
Fei-juan Kong1, Yu-wen Tang, Lin-hao Xu
1Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.
Insights
Gestational exposure to isoflurane anesthesia impairs offspring spatial memory and learning. This effect may be linked to reduced hippocampal expression of growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) and neuropeptide Y (NPY).
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Anesthesiology
- Developmental Biology
Context:
- Maternal exposure to general anesthetics during pregnancy is a growing concern.
- Isoflurane is a commonly used volatile anesthetic agent.
- The long-term effects of prenatal anesthetic exposure on offspring neurodevelopment require further investigation.
Purpose:
- To investigate the impact of gestational isoflurane exposure on the spatial learning and memory of rat pups.
- To examine the effects on the expression of growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the hippocampus.
Summary:
- Pregnant rats exposed to 1.3% isoflurane on gestation day 18 showed impaired spatial learning and memory in offspring assessed via the Morris Water Maze.
- Immunohistochemistry revealed significantly decreased expression of GAP-43 and NPY in the hippocampal CA1 region of pups exposed to isoflurane in utero.
- Offspring of the isoflurane group exhibited longer escape latencies and reduced time in the target quadrant.
Impact:
- Prenatal isoflurane exposure can lead to lasting deficits in cognitive functions such as spatial memory.
- The observed neurobiological changes, specifically down-regulation of GAP-43 and NPY, may underlie these cognitive impairments.
- Findings highlight potential risks of intra-uterine exposure to isoflurane and suggest further research into neuroprotective strategies.
Objective:
To investigate the effects of gestational isoflurane exposure on postnatal memory and learning and growth-associated protein-43 (GAP-43), neuropeptide Y(NPY) expression in the hippocampus of pups.
Methods:
Twelve maternal Sprague-Dawley rats at gestation d 18(E18) were randomly divided into isoflurane group (n=6) and control group (n=6). Rats in isoflurane group were exposed to 1.3 % isoflurane for 6 h. For control group, animals breathed in 30 % oxygen and air mixed gas at the same condition. Spatial learning and memory of the offspring were determined with the Morris Water Maze(MWM) after postnatal 4 weeks. The changes of GAP-43 and NPY expression in the hippocampal CA1 region of the pups were determined by immunohistochemistry.
Results:
In MWM training, the escape latency to platform of the pups in isoflurane group was significantly longer, and the time spent in the third quadrant and times of original platform crossing were less than those of control animals (P<0.05). The number and optical density of GAP-43 and NPY positive neurons in the hippocampus of pups decreased significantly in the isoflurane group compared with the controls (P <0.01).
Conclusion:
Isoflurane exposure in pregnant rats significantly impairs the spatial memory and learning of their pups at a juvenile age, which may be associated with the down-regulation of GAP-43 and NPY in the hippocampus.
