Elsevier

Neuroscience Letters

Volume 462, Issue 3, 25 September 2009, Pages 198-202
Neuroscience Letters

The behavioral change of locomotor activity in a kaolin-induced hydrocephalus rat model: Evaluation of the effect on the dopaminergic system with progressive ventricle dilatation

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neulet.2009.07.039Get rights and content

Abstract

Hydrocephalus is a pathological enlargement of the cerebral ventricle that results from an obstruction of the space containing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain. Motor abnormalities, such as abnormal gait and posture, are frequently seen in patients with hydrocephalus. The present study was designed to investigate locomotor activity in the elevated plus maze behaviorally. Hydrocephalus was induced in Sprague–Dawley rats by injection of 0.1 ml of 20% kaolin solution into the cisterna magna (n = 14). Control rats received the same volume of saline (n = 12). The rats were sacrificed at 3 days and 4 weeks after the elevated plus maze test. Tyrosine hydroxlyase (TH) immunoreactivity in the substantia nigra was evaluated by immunohistological staining. Hydrocephalic rats showed decreased motor activity for entries of arms when compared to control rats (p < 0.05). Compared to control rats, the number of TH immunoreactive neurons was significantly decreased in hydrocephalic rats. These results suggest that decreased motor responses due to ventricle enlargement in hydrocephalic rats are associated with the functional impairment of the central dopamine system.

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Acknowledgement

This research was supported by a grant (no. 10031270) from Developmental Program for Korea Industrial Innovation Technology funded by the Ministry of Knowledge and Economy, the Republic of Korea.

References (29)

Cited by (11)

  • Changes in neural stem cells in the subventricular zone in a rat model of communicating hydrocephalus

    2014, Neuroscience Letters
    Citation Excerpt :

    All procedures conformed to the guidelines of the animal welfare laws in China, the United Kingdom, and the United States and the local animal welfare committee. We used an injection of kaolin into the cisterna magna to establish the communicating hydrocephalus rat model [10,11]. Rats in each group were deeply anesthetized by injection of chloral hydrate (40 mg/100 g) into the abdominal region.

  • Kaolin-induced ventriculomegaly at weaning produces long-term learning, memory, and motor deficits in rats

    2014, International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience
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    While VM can be induced by a number of different processes, one way to induce it mechanically in animals is by kaolin injection in the cisterna magna. Kaolin-induced VM can cause a loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra in adult rats and significantly reduce levels of other monoamines (Chovanes et al., 1988; Hwang et al., 2009; Lovely et al., 1989). These decreases in monoamines are concurrent with reductions in locomotor activity beginning 3 days after treatment and becoming more severe by 4 weeks (Hwang et al., 2009).

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