早期社会隔离对雌性ICR小鼠焦虑水平、社会行为及神经内分泌的影响

许多证据表明早期生活应激会影响动物成年后的行为和神经化学改变,然而该过程的机制还不完全清楚。脑源性神经营养因子(BDNF)、催产素(OT)和糖皮质激素受体(GR)参与对应激的神经适应性反应。本实验将出生3 d后的雌性ICR小鼠幼仔每日隔离3 h直至出生21 d,在60日龄时检测其焦虑水平、社会行为及血清中皮质酮(CORT)和OT的水平,同时检测了中枢BDNF、OT和GR的阳性神经元表达。结果表明,与对照组相比,早期隔离组小鼠的焦虑水平增加,运动性和社会行为减少,同时血清中CORT水平上升、海马CA1和CA2/3区的BDNF及GR的阳性神经元表达下降,下丘脑室旁核和视上核的OT阳性神经元表达减少。这些结果表明,早期社会隔离下调了BDNF、OT和GR的水平,并通过调制应激系统影响雌性ICR小鼠的情绪与社会行为。     

不同背景的同伴强化及催产素处理对雌性棕色田鼠可卡因条件位置偏爱的影响（英文）

同伴间的社会互作是一种天然奖赏,能够影响成瘾药物使用的敏感性。催产素(Oxytocin,OT)能够调节社会行为,并提高社会互作的奖赏价值。然而不同背景的同伴互作以及与OT合并使用是否对可卡因的奖赏效应有不同的影响尚不清楚。棕色田鼠(Lasiopodomys mandarinus)是一种单配制田鼠,个体间具有较复杂的社会行为。利用雌性棕色田鼠,我们首先检测了可卡因(20 mg/kg)单独强化以及与不同背景关系的同伴(熟悉雌性、陌生雌性和陌生雄性)同时强化诱导的条件位置偏爱(conditioned place preference,CPP)及持续时间;其次检测了实验鼠外周注射OT(1 mg/kg)并给予不同背景同伴强化对可卡因CPP的影响。结果表明,可卡因单独强化时,实验鼠能够形成可卡因CPP并能持续至3周;用熟悉的雌性同伴强化时,实验鼠对可卡因CPP的维持时间缩短;用陌生的雌性或雄性同伴强化时可抑制可卡因CPP的形成。实验鼠注射OT后,用熟悉雌性或陌生雄性同伴分别强化时会抑制或反转可卡因CPP。这些结果表明不同背景关系的同伴强化对可卡因奖赏效应的影响不同。OT可促进同伴强化的奖赏价值,降低动物对可卡因的偏爱,且该效应因强化同伴的背景而不同。     

不同背景的同伴强化及催产素处理对雌性棕色田鼠可卡因条件位置偏爱的影响

同伴间的社会互作是一种天然奖赏,能够影响成瘾药物使用的敏感性。催产素（Oxytocin,OT)能够调节社会行为,并提高社会互作的奖赏价值。然而不同背景的同伴互作以及与OT合并使用是否对可卡因的奖赏效应有不同的影响尚不清楚。棕色田鼠(Microtus mandarinus)是一种单配制田鼠,个体间具有较复杂的社会行为。利用雌性棕色田鼠,我们首先检测了可卡因(20 mg/kg)单独强化以及与不同背景关系的同伴（熟性雌性、陌生雌性和陌生雄性）同时强化诱导的条件位置偏爱（conditioned place preference, CPP）及持续时间;其次检测了实验鼠外周注射OT (1 mg /kg)并给予不同背景同伴强化对可卡因CPP的影响。结果表明,可卡因单独强化时,实验鼠能够形成可卡因CPP并能持续至3周;用熟悉的雌性同伴强化时,实验鼠对可卡因CPP的维持时间缩短;用陌生的雌性或雄性同伴强化时可抑制可卡因CPP的形成。实验鼠注射OT后,用熟悉雌性或陌生雄性同伴分别强化时会抑制或反转可卡因CPP。这些结果表明不同背景关系的同伴强化对可卡因奖赏效应的影响不同。OT可促进同伴强化的奖赏价值,降低动物对可卡因的偏爱,且该效应因强化同伴的背景而不同。     

早期断乳对哺乳动物行为、脑及应激神经内分泌的影响

断乳是哺乳动物早期生活中最重要的事件。早期断乳不仅仅是幼体从吃奶到独立取食的一个过渡,由早期断乳引起的母性剥夺或社会隔离是一种强应激,会破坏母子联系,并且对幼体以后的行为和神经化学系统有持久的影响,如母性行为和社会玩耍行为减少、攻击行为和焦虑水平增加、认知水平降低、日节律行为失常、影响脑的发育和神经修饰、对应激源更加敏感、应激神经内分泌反应增强等。早期断乳使HPA轴功能破坏,干扰了脑、行为和神经内分泌的发育及调节机制,导致了动物机能失调或对环境不当地适应。因此,哺乳期幼体所处的社会环境至关重要,哺乳提供的不仅是乳汁,还有更为重要的母性联系和母性抚育,应避免不适当的早期断乳。由早期断乳引发行为改变的神经生物学机制值得深入研究。     

社会隔离对小鼠焦虑水平及神经活动的影响

目的 探究不同饲养条件下小鼠Mus musculus的焦虑行为特征及神经活动特征.方法 对21日龄的雄性CD-1小鼠进行社会隔离(SI)或社会群居(SG)饲养处理2周后,采用经典的焦虑行为范式(高架十字迷宫)进行测试,并同步采集内侧前额叶(mPFC)、内侧杏仁核(MeA)、腹内侧下丘脑(VMH)等脑区的局部场电位(LF...     

可卡因对雌性棕色田鼠的运动性、社会行为及中枢精氨酸加压素、催产素和酪氨酸羟化酶表达的影响

精氨酸加压素(AVP)和催产素(OT)能够调节社会行为,并通过调节多巴胺(DA)的活动参与药物成瘾。棕色田鼠Lasiopodomys mandarinus是一种单配制田鼠,具有较复杂的社会行为。本研究以酪氨酸羟化酶(TH)标记DA神经元,对雌性棕色田鼠连续注射可卡因[20 mg·(kg·d)~(-1)]4 d,24 h后测量其运动性、焦虑水平和社会行为以及AVP、OT和TH的变化。结果发现,与对照组相比,可卡因组运动性提高,社会探究行为和攻击行为下降,但焦虑水平差异没有统计学意义。同时,可卡因组下丘脑前区AVP和下丘脑室旁核OT的免疫活性神经元数量减少;室旁核和中脑腹侧被盖区TH的免疫活性神经元数量增加。这些结果说明反复暴露于可卡因能够改变雌性棕色田鼠的行为敏感化及社会行为。AVP、OT和DA参与了这一调节过程。     

雌雄子午沙鼠的认知行为及其神经内分泌水平的差异

本研究通过对雌雄子午沙鼠进行新物体识别和社会认知实验,运用免疫组化方法检测其相关脑区合成催产素（OT）、加压素（AVP）和多巴胺（DA）能的神经元数量,采用酶联免疫试验（ELISA）方法检测了其血清中OT、AVP的水平,探究了雌雄子午沙鼠的两性认知差异及其神经内分泌水平的差异。结果表明,雌雄子午沙鼠对新物体的探究时间均要显著高于旧物体,雌雄子午沙鼠的辨别指数无显著差异（P＞0.05）;雄性子午沙鼠随着探究次数的增加对重复刺激鼠a的探究时间不断减少,对陌生刺激鼠b的探究时间显著高于刺激鼠a（P＜0.05）;雌性子午沙鼠没有此趋势。雄性子午沙鼠OT能神经元数量在下丘脑室旁核(PVN)和视上核(SON)均要显著少于雌性（P＜0.05）;雄性个体DA能神经元数量在黑质显著高于雌性（P＜0.01）;然而雄性个体DA能神经元数量在腹侧被盖区显著少于雌性（P＜0.01）;雌雄子午沙鼠血清OT、AVP水平均无显著差异。综上所述,雌雄子午沙鼠对新物体的识别能力无显著差异,然而雄性子午沙鼠的社会认知能力强于雌性。在神经内分泌水平上,雌雄子午沙鼠PVN和SON中OT能神经元数量、黑质和腹侧背盖区的DA能神经元数量均呈现出了两性差异。     

雌、雄大鼠去势对HPA轴分泌功能影响的比较

目的观察去势手术后雌、雄大鼠在低性激素状态下,下丘脑—垂体—肾上腺(HPA)轴功能的变化,证实性激素可对HPA轴的功能产生影响,并分析这种影响是否存在性别差异和时长效应。方法选用SPF级8周龄SD大鼠80只(雌雄各半),体重180~220 g,采用完全随机设计法,利用随机数字表将其分为雄性模型组、雄性对照组、雌性模型组、雌性对照组,每组20只大鼠,适应性饲养一周后行去势手术,于造模后第3周及第13周心脏取血,采用酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)检测血清中促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素(CRH)、促肾上腺皮质激素(ACTH)、皮质酮(CORT)含量并进行统计分析。结果经检测造模第3周雄性模型组大鼠血清CRH、CORT含量显著低于对照组(P0.01),血清ACTH含量低于对照组(P0.05);雌性模型组大鼠血清CRH、CORT含量均低于对照组(P0.05),血清ACTH含量有下降趋势。造模第13周,雄性模型组大鼠血清CORT含量显著低于对照组(P0.01),其他激素含量变化不明显;雌性模型组大鼠血清CORT含量低于对照组(P0.05),其他激素含量变化不明显。雌、雄模型组大鼠造模后第13周与第3周组内相比CRH、ACTH、CORT的含量均无统计学差异(P0.05)。结论无论雌、雄,去势均可造成大鼠HPA轴功能的紊乱,表现为外周血CRH、ACTH、CORT水平下降,雄激素对雄鼠HPA轴的影响要大于雌激素对雌鼠的影响。推测雄激素可能更加有利于上述三种激素的产生。当雌、雄大鼠处于稳定的低性激素状态,其HPA轴分泌功能不随着大鼠周龄的增长而发生改变。     

笼养黑叶猴未成年个体的玩耍行为

哺乳动物的玩耍行为有助于提高运动及社会交往技能,有助于社会关系的建立。为探讨玩耍行为在黑叶猴未成年个体发育过程中的呈现模式,我们以广西南宁动物园两群笼养黑叶猴Trachypithecus francoisi未成年个体为观察对象,应用焦点动物取样法和全事件记录法收集观察对象玩耍行为相关数据。结果表明:打斗式玩耍平均占黑叶猴未成年个体玩耍时间的14.4%¹6.9%,追逐式玩耍占3.6%16.9%,追逐式玩耍占3.6%¹3.6%,运动性玩耍占48.6%13.6%,运动性玩耍占48.6%⁵7.0%,物品玩耍占20.8%57.0%,物品玩耍占20.8%²5.0%。少年个体的玩耍行为存在明显的性别差异,主要表现在少年雄性打斗式玩耍和追逐式玩耍的频次明显高于少年雌性。在社会性玩耍中,少年雄性更为主动。这些结果支持了运动训练假说。在玩耍伙伴的选择上,少年雌雄性个体都喜欢选择少年雄性个体作为玩耍伙伴。未成年个体在不同发育阶段的玩耍行为也存在显著差异,主要表现在幼年个体运动性玩耍和物品玩耍的频率明显高于少年个体。     

反捕食不能充分解释獐的集群行为(英文)

我在江西鄱阳湖国家自然保护区研究了獐 (Hydropotesinermis)的集群行为并检验了集群是动物反捕食对策的假说。如果这个假说成立 ,我们则可以做三个预测 :(1)集群大小应与植物覆盖度成负相关 ;(2 )集群动物比单独活动的动物有更多的时间取食 ;(3)集群动物与单独活动的动物相比 ,用于警戒的时间较少。结果表明 ,獐的集群在交配季节最大而在产仔季节最小 ,獐在短草期比在高草期倾向于形成较大集群。因此 ,本研究支持了第一个预测。但是 ,集群的獐和单独活动的獐在取食和警戒时间分配上并无差异。因此 ,本研究不支持第二和第三个预测。时间收支 (timebudget)分析显示 ,在非交配季节 ,带幼仔的雌性用于取食的时间较少但走动频繁。在交配季节 ,与单独活动的雌性相比 ,与雄性在一起的雌性用于取食的时间较少 ,而单独活动的雄性却比与雌性在一起的雄性花较多的时间用于观望寻找雌性。鉴于獐集群行为的复杂性 ,本研究认为 ,獐并不只因反捕食而集群 ,其它社会和生态因子在决定獐的集群行为中也很重要。     

Role for dopamine in malonate-induced damage in vivo in striatum and in vitro in mesencephalic cultures

Defects in mitochondrial energy metabolism have been implicated in the pathology of several neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, the reactive metabolites generated from the metabolism and oxidation of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) are thought to contribute to the damage to neurons of the basal ganglia. We have previously demonstrated that infusions of the metabolic inhibitor malonate into the striata of mice or rats produce degeneration of DA nerve terminals. In the present studies, we demonstrate that an intrastriatal infusion of malonate induces a substantial increase in DA efflux in awake, behaving mice as measured by in vivo microdialysis. Furthermore, pretreatment of mice with tetrabenazine (TBZ) or the TBZ analogue Ro 4-1284 (Ro-4), compounds that reversibly inhibit the vesicular storage of DA, attenuates the malonate-induced DA efflux as well as the damage to DA nerve terminals. Consistent with these findings, the damage to both DA and GABA neurons in mesencephalic cultures by malonate exposure was attenuated by pretreatment with TBZ or Ro-4. Treatment with these compounds did not affect the formation of free radicals or the inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation resulting from malonate exposure alone. Our data suggest that DA plays an important role in the neurotoxicity produced by malonate. These findings provide direct evidence that inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase causes an increase in extracellular DA levels and indicate that bioenergetic defects may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic neurodegenerative diseases through a mechanism involving DA.     

Scurvy in capybaras bred in captivity in Argentine

In order to determine if the absence of vitamin C in the diet of capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) causes scurvy, a group of seven young individuals were fed food pellets without ascorbic acid, while another group of eight individuals received the same food with 1 g of ascorbic acid per animal per day. Animals in the first group developed signs of scurvy-like gingivitis, breaking of the incisors and death of one animal. Clinical signs appeared between 25 and 104 days from the beginning of the trial in all individuals. Growth rates of individuals deprived of vitamin C was considerably less than those observed in the control group. Deficiency of ascorbic acid had a severe effect on reproduction of another population of captive capybaras. We found that the decrease in ascorbic acid content in the diet affected pregnancy, especially during the first stages. The results obtained suggest that it is necessary to supply a suitable quantity of vitamin C in the diet of this species in captivity.     

Changes in lactate dehydrogenase activity in chicken tissues in hyperthyreosis in ontogenesis

The lactate dehydrogenase activity in reactions of lactate oxidation and synthesis was studied in subfractions of the chicken brain, heart and liver at the embryonal, early postembryonal and adult stages of development after thyroxine administration. It has been shown that during embryogenesis thyroxine predominantly enhanced the rate of lactate oxidation in the mitochondrial tissues. A marked increase in the lactate synthesis was found in cytoplasm of the adult chicken tissues. Specificity of enzyme activity alterations was detected in the chicken brain during ontogenesis after thyroxine administration.     

SSTR5 ablation in islet results in alterations in glucose homeostasis in mice

Somatostatin (SST) peptide is a potent inhibitor of insulin secretion and its effect is mediated via somatostatin receptor 5 (SSTR5) in the endocrine pancreas. To investigate the consequences of gene ablation of SSTR5 in the mouse pancreas, we have generated a mouse model in which the SSTR5 gene was specifically knocked down in the pancreatic beta cells (betaSSTR5Kd) using the Cre-lox system. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that SSTR5 gene expression was absent in beta cells at three months of age. At the time of gene ablation, betaSSTR5Kd mice demonstrated glucose intolerance with lack of insulin response and significantly reduced serum insulin levels. Insulin tolerance test demonstrated a significant increase of insulin clearance in vivo at the same age. In vitro studies demonstrated an absence of response to SST-28 stimulation in the betaSSTR5Kd mouse islet, which was associated with a significantly reduced SST expression level in betaSSTR5Kd mice pancreata. In addition, betaSSTR5Kd mice had significantly reduced serum glucose levels and increased serum insulin levels at 12 months of age. Glucose tolerance test at an older age also indicated a persistently higher insulin level in betaSSTR5Kd mice. Further studies of betaSSTR5Kd mice had revealed elevated serum C-peptide levels at both 3 and 12 months of age, suggesting that these mice are capable of producing and releasing insulin to the periphery. These results support the hypothesis that SSTR5 plays a pivotal role in the regulation of insulin secretion in the mouse pancreas.