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SOCIAL PREFERENCE IS MAINTAINED IN MICE WITH IMPAIRED STARTLE REFEX AND GLUTAMATE/D‑SERINE IMBALANCE INDUCED BY CHRONIC CEREBRAL TOXOPLASMOSIS
Preferência social
Reflexo de sobressalto
Desequilíbrio glutamato / D ‑ serina
Cérebro crônico toxoplasmose
Mice
Startle reflex
Glutamate/D‑serine imbalance
Chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis
Author
Affilliation
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural. Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic protozoan pathogen with a wide geographic distribution.
The chronic phase of toxoplasmosis is often asymptomatic in humans and is characterized by
tissue cysts throughout the central nervous system and muscle cells. T. gondii and other pathogens
with tropism for the central nervous system are considered risk factors in the etiology of several
neuropsychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, besides neurological diseases.
Currently, it is known that cerebral toxoplasmosis increases dopamine levels in the brain and it is
related to behavioral changes in animals and humans. Here we evaluate whether chronic T. gondii
infection, using the cystogenic ME-49 strain, could induce behavioral alterations associated with
neuropsychiatric disorders and glutamatergic neurotransmission dysfunction. We observed that
the startle amplitude is reduced in the infected animals as well as glutamate and D-serine levels in
prefrontal cortical and hippocampal tissue homogenates. Moreover, we did not detect alterations in
social preference and spontaneous alternation despite severe motor impairment. Thus, we conclude
that behavioral and cognitive aspects are maintained even though severe neural damage is observed
by chronic infection of C57Bl/6 mice with the ME-49 strain.
Keywords in Portuguese
CamundongosPreferência social
Reflexo de sobressalto
Desequilíbrio glutamato / D ‑ serina
Cérebro crônico toxoplasmose
Keywords
Social preferenceMice
Startle reflex
Glutamate/D‑serine imbalance
Chronic cerebral toxoplasmosis
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