宁心解郁胶囊对慢性应激抑郁模型大鼠Open-Field行为的影响

[目的]探讨宁心解郁胶囊的抗抑郁作用及可能的机制。[方法]以孤养加慢性轻度不可预见性应激方法建立大鼠抑郁模型,用Open-Field方法进行行为学评定,观察模型大鼠给药前后的行为学变化。[结果]经过孤养加慢性轻度不可预见性应激方法造模后的大鼠,Open-Field行为学评定中模型组大鼠的总路程、平均速度、中央活动路程、中央活动时间、各角的活动路程和时间均较空白组有统计学差异(P<0.05)。治疗后大鼠的总活动路程、平均速度、中央活动时间、中央活动路程、下边活动路程、下边活动时间、各角的活动路程和时间均较模型组有统计学差异(P<0.05),活动路程较模型组增加,活动时间较模型组增加,且以中剂量组效果显著。[结论]宁心解郁胶囊具有抗抑郁作用,对大鼠抑郁行为有明显改善。

Comparative Experiment of Ground Cucumber Varieties for Open Field Cultivation

Seven ground cucumber varieties were cultivated in open field for the comparative experiment. The results showed that Texuan cucumber and Yantai ground cucumber had good commodity characters,good taste and high yield,and their output value exceeded 16 000 yuan/666. 7 m2,so they are more suitable for open cultivation in Yantai region. The next ones are Meiyu Diguawang and Aweishi ground cucumber.

Comparison of Cold Tolerance in Three Ground-cover Chrysanthemum Cultivars during Wintering in the Open Field

[Objectives]Among many chrysanthemum types,the ground-cover chrysanthemum cultivar group has the characteristics of dwarf plant,long flowering period,rich color and strong resistance to stress.This study aimed to screen out cultivars with strong cold tolerance in order that they can be used for planting in urban green space and economic forests in northern cold areas,so as to enrich the plant community structures of landscape in cold regions.[Methods]Three ground-cover chrysanthemum cultivars,i.e.,‘Meiaihuang’,‘Xinhong’and‘Zixunzhang’,were selected as the experimental materials.During the wintering period in the field in Beijing,they were observed and measured for the changes of the morphological manifestations and the physiological indices,and the relationship between the indices and low temperature was analyzed.The cold tolerance of the three ground-cover chrysanthemum cultivars was also comprehensively evaluated.[Results]During the open-field overwintering period,the root activity of the three ground-cover chrysanthemum cultivars increased slowly with cooling,decreased at the freezing low temperature,and then increased again in early spring.With natural cooling,the membrane injury percentages(MIPs)of the leaves and foot shoots increased significantly,and the contents of malondialdehyde(MDA)increased;the contents of soluble sugar(SS)and proline(Pro)gradually accumulated,and the contents of SS and Pro in foot shoots increased significantly in late winter;and the superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity showed a similar trend of rising slowly at first and then increasing significantly.There were correlations between MIPs in the leaves and foot shoots of the three cultivars and other physiological indices:a significant negative correlation with MDA content,and a significant positive correlation with SS content,Pro content and SOD activity.[Conclusions]Combining the morphological manifestations and physiological indices,the cold tolerance of the three ground-cover chrysanthemum cultivars was evaluated by the subordinate function method.The results showed that the cold tolerance of the three ground-cover chrysanthemum cultivars ranked as‘Meiaihuang’>‘Xinhong’>‘Zixunzhang’.The strong cold tolerance of foot shoots and roots was the main reason that the three ground-cover chrysanthemum cultivars could overwinter in the open field.

Positions Open in the Field of Plasma and Fusion

Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP), one of the most important laboratories on magnetically confined fusion in China and the Nuclear Fusion Research Center of the World Laboratory, is searching for 5 senior and 10 junior scientists of plasma and fusion in the following superconducting tokamak research areas: theory and simulation, diverter and edge physics, plasma diagnostics, electron cyclotron resonant heating, ion cyclotron resonant heating, lower hybrid wave, neutral beam injection, reactor design, fusion material, superconducting engineering.

Positions Open in the Field of Plasma and Fusion

Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP), one of the most important laboratories on magnetically confined fusion in China and the Nuclear Fusion Research Center of the World Laboratory, is searching for 5 senior and 10 junior scientists of plasma and fusion in the following superconducting tokamak research areas: theory and simulation, diverter and edge physics, plasma diagnostics, electron cyclotron resonant heating, ion cyclotron resonant heating, lower hybrid wave, neutral beam injection, reactor design, fusion material, superconducting engineering.

Positions Open in the Field of Plasma and Fusion

Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP), one of the most important Laboratories on magnetically confined fusion in China and the Nuclear Fusion Research Center of the World Laboratory, is searching for 5 senior and 10 junior scientists of plasma and fusion in the following superconducting tokamak research areas: theory and simulation, diverter and edge physics, plasma diagnostics, electron cyclotron resonant heating, ion cyclotron resonant heating, lower hybrid wave, neutral beam injection, reactor design, fusion material, superconducting engineering.

Overexpression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the hippocampus protects against post-stroke depression

Post-stroke depression is associated with reduced expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）. In this study, we evaluated whether BDNF overexpression affects depression-like behavior in a rat model of post-stroke depression. The middle cerebral artery was occluded to produce a model of focal cerebral ischemia. These rats were then subjected to isolation-housing combined with chronic unpredictable mild stress to generate a model of post-stroke depression. A BDNF gene lentiviral vector was injected into the hippocampus. At 7 days after injection, western blot assay and real-time quantitative PCR revealed that BDNF expression in the hippo- campus was increased in depressive rats injected with BDNF lentivirus compared with depressive rats injected with control vector. Furthermore, sucrose solution consumption was higher, and horizontal and vertical movement scores were increased in the open field test in these rats as well. These findings suggest that BDNF overexpression in the hippocampus of post-stroke depressive rats alleviates depression-like behaviors.

Anxiolytic property of hydro-alcohol extract of Lactuca sativa and its effect on behavioral activities of mice

Lactuca sativa, belonging to the Asteraceae family, is a leafy vegetable known for its medicinal properties. This study aimed to understand the mechanism of Lactuca sativa extract with respect to pharmacological action. We investigated the anxiolytic effects of hydro-alcoholic extract of leaves of Lactuca sativa on mice. The behav- ioral tests performed on mice models to assess anti-anxiety properties were： open field test （OFT）, elevated plus maze test （EPM）, elevated T maze test, and marble burying test. Increased locomotor activity and time spent in the ＂open-ann＂ were observed in extract fed group. Malondialdehyde （MDA） and nitrite levels were decreased, cata- lase and glutathione levels were increased in Lactuca sativa treated mice. The data obtained in the present study suggests that the extract of Lactuca sativa can afford significant protection against anxiolytic activity.

Neuronal protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B hinders sensory-motor functional recovery and causes affective disorders in two different focal ischemic stroke models

Ischemic brain injury causes neuronal death and inflammation.Inflammation activates protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B(PTP1B).Here,we tested the significance of PTP1B activation in glutamatergic projection neurons on functional recovery in two models of stroke:by photothrombosis,focal ischemic lesions were induced in the sensorimotor cortex(SM stroke)or in the peri-prefrontal cortex(peri-PFC stroke).Elevated PTP1B expression was detected at 4 days and up to 6 weeks after stroke.While ablation of PTP1B in neurons of neuronal knockout(NKO)mice had no effect on the volume or resorption of ischemic lesions,markedly different effects on functional recovery were observed.SM stroke caused severe sensory and motor deficits(adhesive removal test)in wild type and NKO mice at 4 days,but NKO mice showed drastically improved sensory and motor functional recovery at 8 days.In addition,peri-PFC stroke caused anxiety-like behaviors(elevated plus maze and open field tests),and depression-like behaviors(forced swimming and tail suspension tests)in wild type mice 9 and 28 days after stroke,respectively,with minimal effect on sensory and motor function.Peri-PFC stroke-induced affective disorders were associated with fewer active(FosB+)neurons in the PFC and nucleus accumbens but more FosB+neurons in the basolateral amygdala,compared to sham-operated mice.In contrast,mice with neuronal ablation of PTP1B were protected from anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors and showed no change in FosB+neurons after peri-PFC stroke.Taken together,our study identifies neuronal PTP1B as a key component that hinders sensory and motor functional recovery and also contributes to the development of anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors after stroke.Thus,PTP1B may represent a novel therapeutic target to improve stroke recovery.All procedures for animal use were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of the University of Ottawa Animal Care and Veterinary Service(protocol 1806)on July 27,2018.

Orbitofrontal cortex action of 5-hydroxytryptamine and its receptor in an acute forced swimming stress-induced depression model

BACKGROUND： The orbitofrontal cortex （OFC） is a brain region closely associated with emotion. 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT） has been shown to be involved in human depression. OBJECTIVE： To investigate OFC actions and mechanisms of 5-HT and 5-HT1A receptor （5-HT1AR） in stress-induced depression.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： A randomized, controlled, animal experiment was performed at Laboratory of Neurobiology, College of Life Science, Shaanxi Normal University between May 2006 and March 2008. MATERIALS： 5-HT, p-chlorophenylalanine （PCPA, an inhibitor to tryptophan hydroxylase） and spiperone （5-HT1AR antagonist） were provided by Sigma, USA; rabbit anti-rat 5-HT1AR antibody was provided by Tianjin Haoyang Biological Manufacture. METHODS： A total of 40 male Sprague Dawley rats, aged 3 months, were randomly divided into five groups： control, model, 5-HT, spiperone ＋ 5-HT, and PCPA, with 8 rats in each group. Except for control group, rats in the other four groups were used to establish depression models by forced swimming for 15 minutes. At 30 minutes before forced swimming test, 0.5 pL of 5-HT （12.5 pg/pL）, PCPA （20 pg/pL）, spiperone （1.3 pg/pL） ＋ 5-HT （12.5 pg/pL, 10 minutes later）, and saline were respectively injected into the OFC of 5-HT, PCPA, spiperone ＋ 5-HT, and model groups, respectively. The control group received a saline microinjection into the OFC.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Forced swimming and open field tests were employed to measure animal behaviors, and immunohistochemistry was used to analyze 5-HT1AR expression in the OFC, cingulate cortex, and piriform cortex. RESULTS： （1） Compared with the model group, 5-HT microinjection into the OFC prominently reduced immobility time in the forced swimming test and rearing in open field test （P 〈 0.05）; locomotion and grooming in open field test were increased, although there was no significance （P 〉 0.05）. Furthermore, following PCPA microinjection into the OFC （PCPA ＋ forced swimming stress）, immobility time in forced swimming test increased dramatically （P〈 0.01）, locomotion and rearing in open field test declined （P〈 0.05 and P 〈 0.01, respectively）. Compared with the 5-HT group, 5-HT1AR antagonist （spiperone ＋ 5-HT ＋ forced swimming stress） increased immobility time in forced swimming test （P 〈 0.01）, but decreased locomotion, rearing, and grooming in open field test. （2） Forced swimming stress markedly elevated 5-HT1AR expression in OFC, cingulate cortex, and piriform cortex （P〈 0.05 or P〈 0.01）. CONCLUSION： 5-HT improved stress-induced depression, and 5-HT anti-depression effects are primarily achieved via 5-HT1AR. Stress-induced up regulation of 5-HT1AR expression might be a compensatory mechanism for decreased 5-HT expression.

Measurement of the peripheral aberrations of human eyes:A comprehensive review

It has been nearly 50 years since the first glimpse of the relationship between myopia and peripheral refractive errors. According to experiments on both animals and humans, the eyes with hyperopic peripheral vision appear to be at higher risk of developing myopia than those with myopic peripheral refractive errors. Despite the first measurement of peripheral refraction being achieved by a modified manual optometer, the concept of emmetropization triggered a rapidly increasing number of studies on peripheral aberrations. Not only the horizontal off-axis aberrations but also the meridional aberrations at different angles are measured by researchers during the development of peripheral aberrations measuring techniques. According to the differences among the working principles, a variety of techniques have been adopted for performing such measurements. The methods developed to realize the high-performance measurement involve the subject cooperating actively by rotating the head or eyes, the rotation of the whole optical path, and the combination of measurements of many light paths. This paper provides a review of the peripheral aberrations measuring techniques and their current status. This article also highlights the development trend of the measuring techniques of peripheral aberrations and practical applications of peripheral aberration measurements, such as the control of the accommodation, the measuring time, and the dynamic range problem of the wavefront sensor. Although wavefront sensing peripheral measurement is widely recognized for its capability to reveal both lower-order aberrations and higher-order aberrations, the efficiency of an autorefractometer is incomparable. The current study reveals that the most widely used peripheral aberration measurement methods are the use of an open field autorefractometer and Hartman-shack wavefront sensor-based techniques.

Genome-wide association study identifies quantitative trait loci affecting cattle temperament

Cattle temperament is an interesting trait due to its correlation with production efficiency,labor safety,and animal welfare.To date,however,its genetic basis is not clearly understood.Here,we performed a genome-wide association study for a series of temperament traits in cattle,assessed with via open field and novel object tests,using autosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)derived from the whole-genome sequence.We identified 37 and 29 genome-wide significant loci in the open field and novel object tests,respectively.Gene set analysis revealed the most significant pathway was the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway,which may be essential for emotional control in cattle.Analysis of the expression levels of 18 tissue-specific genes based on transcriptomic data showed enrichment in the brain,with some candidate genes involved in psychiatric and neurodegenerative diseases in humans.Based on principal component analysis,the first principal component explained the largest variance in the open field and novel object test data,and the most significant loci were assigned to SORCS3 and SESTD1,respectively.Our findings should help facilitate cattle breeding for sound temperament by pyramiding favorable alleles to further improve cattle production.

Influence of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor on gerbil behavior after hyperbaric oxygen-induced convulsion

BACKGROUND：Studies have reported that nitric oxide synthase （NOS） inhibitor can prolong the latency of hyperbaric oxygen-induced convulsion （HBOC）. However, there are very few reports addressing the influence of NOS inhibitor on mental behavior. OBJECTIVE： To investigate behavioral changes after HBOC in gerbils, as well as the influence of NOS inhibitor. DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING： Randomized experiments were performed in the Laboratory of Hyperbaric Pressure and Diving Physiology, Naval Medical Research Institute of Chinese PLA （Shanghai, China） from March 2005 to June 2007. MATERIALS： Forty male gerbils were randomly divided into five groups： HBOC, saline control, NOS inhibitor, pressure control, and normal control. Each group contained eight animals. METHODS： In the HBOC group, once depression induction ended, animals were removed from the chamber five minutes after the first appearance of generalized convulsion induced by 0.5 MPa hyperbaric oxygen. Ten minutes before entering the chamber, saline control and NOS inhibitor animals were intraperitoneally injected with 1 mL saline and 20 mg/kg NG-nitro-L-arginine, respectively. The pressure control group was only exposed to 0.5 MPa. The remaining procedures in these three groups were identical to the HBOC group. The normal control group received no intervention. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES： Open field test scores in gerbils prior to HBOC, as well as immediately, 24 hours, and 72 hours after decompression ended. RESULTS： HBOC was not detected in either the normal control or the pressure control group, and there were no significant differences in open field test scores prior to and after HBOC （P 〉 0.05）. HBOC occurred in the HBOC, saline control, and NOS inhibitor groups, with significant differences in open field test scores after decompression ended compared to normal control and pressure control groups （P 〈 0.05–0.01）. Compared to the HBOC and saline control groups, the NOS inhibitor group exhibited a significantly lower score in the open field test immediately after decompression, and a higher score at 24 and 72 hours （P 〈 0.05–0.01）. CONCLUSION： NOS inhibitor can regulate behavioral changes in gerbils after HBOC.

Investigation on Diseases and Pests of Grape Under Rain Shelter Cultivation in Shandong Province

In order to make clear the effects of rain shelter cultivation on the incidence of diseases and pests of grape in Shandong Province,with Summer Black as the material,the diseases and pests of grape under rain shelter cultivation and open field cultivation in Tai'an and Jining were investigated.The results showed that under the rain shelter cultivation condition,the phenological period of grape delayed 5-8 d.The types of grape diseases and pests under the rain shelter cultivation were the same as those in the open filed cultivation.The most serious pests were Apolygus lucorum,followed by Lycorma delicatula,Erythreura apicalis and Thrips tabaci.The most serious leaf disease was downy mildew,and the most serious disease of grape berries was grape sour rot.Compared with the open field cultivation,the rain shelter cultivation could effectively reduce the incidence of pests and diseases in grape leaves and fruit.At the end of May 2018 and 2019,the occurrence rate of grape pests under the rain shelter cultivation in Tai'an reduced by 57.69%and 60.47%,respectively,and those in Jining reduced by 72.22%and 62.50%,respectively.In the middle of July of 2018 and 2019,the incidence of grape fruit diseases under the rain shelter cultivation in Tai'an reduced by 62.49%and 50.07%,respectively,and that in Jining reduced by 49.96%and 100%,respectively.

Antidepressant Effect of Shenwei Ningyu Tablets on Rat Chronic Stress Model and Mouse Tail Suspension Model

[Objectives]To explore the antidepressant effect of Shenwei Ningyu Tablet,a new antidepressant traditional Chinese medicine,on rat chronic stress depression model and mouse tail suspension models.[Methods]Rat chronic stress model:except for the normal group,the rats in other groups were given corresponding chronic stress,and administered by gavage 1 h before modeling,for a total of 21 d.The changes of each indicator before and after the experiment were observed through the body weight change,the sugar water test,and open field test.The relevant hormone levels were detected by radioimmunoassay.Mouse tail suspension depression model:after continuous administration for 7 d,the activity times was recorded with the mouse automatic recorder,and the mouse immobility time was recorded after tail suspension,to explore the effects of each administration group on the tail suspension immobility time of mice.[Results]Chronic stress depression model:21 d after modeling,compared with the normal group,rats in the model group exhibited significantly reduced body weight,sucrose preference index,and horizontal and vertical movement scores(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the low-dose Shenwei Ningyu Tablets group had significant differences in the sugar water test,horizontal and vertical movement scores(P<0.05).In addition,all three dose groups of Shenwei Ningyu Tablets could effectively reduce the content of CRF in chronic stress model rats,and the low dose group could significantly reduce the ACTH level in model rats(P<0.05).Mouse tail suspension depression model:the immobility time after tail suspension in each administration group was significantly different from that in the model group(P<0.05).[Conclusions]Shenwei Ningyu Tablets has a certain anti-depression effect on both the rat chronic stress depression model and the mouse tail suspension depression model.

High- and Low-Rearing Rats Differ in the Brain Excitability Controlled by the Allosteric Benzodiazepine Site in the GABA_(A) Receptor

Rearing is an exploratory behavior induced by novelty, such as exposure to an open field. Stimulation of certain brain regions, including the hippocampus, induces both rearing and clonic convulsions. Brain excitability is controlled by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) inhibitory neurotransmission through its ionotropic GABAA/allosteric benzodiazepine site. Drugs that decrease GABAA receptor fast inhibitory neurotransmission induce clonic convulsions and rearing when injected into the hippocampus. Therefore, individual differences in rearing behavior may be related to the susceptibility to clonic convulsions, which could involve differences in brain excitability controlled by GABAA/allosteric benzodiazepine site receptors. Adult, male Wistar rats were divided into high- (HR) and low-rearing (LR) groups based on the number of rearings in the open field test. Groups of HR and LR rats were challenged with convulsant drugs that antagonize GABA neurotransmission via different mechanisms of action (3-mercaptopropionic acid, a glutamate decarboxilase inhibitor;bicuculline, a GABAA receptor antagonist;pentylenetetrazol and picrotoxin, both GABAA receptor chloride channel blockers and DMCM, a benzodiazepine inverse agonist). The convulsant doses that induced 50% of clonic convulsions were determined for each drug. The LR rats had a higher susceptibility (a lower convulsant dose 50%) to clonic convulsions induced by DMCM than the HR rats, but there were no differences between the groups in the susceptibility to tonic convulsions induced by the same drug. There were no significant differences in the convulsant dose 50% for clonic convulsions between the groups for all other drugs injected. In another experiment, additional HR and LR rats were injected with a sedative-hypnotic dose of diazepam, which caused a significantly higher hypnotic effect (sleeping-time) in the LR rats than in the HR rats. The LR group was also shown to have a significantly lower density of [3H]-Flunitrazepam bound to the GABAA receptor in hippocampal membranes. Our data suggest that inter-individual differences in rearing are related, at least in part, to the GABA inhibitory neurotransmission controlled by the benzodiazepine allosteric site in the GABAA receptor.

Use of infrared thermography to detect reactions to stressful events:does animal personality matter?

The study of the relationship between animal stress and personality for free-ranging animals is limited and provides contrasting results.The perception of stressors by an individual may vary due to its personality,and certain personality traits may help individuals to better cope with them.Using non-invasive infrared thermography(IRT),we investigated the link between physiological and behavioral components expressed during an acute stress event by free-ranging Fremont’s squirrels(Tamiasciurus fremonti).We expected that,during the acute stress event of being approached by the researcher,individuals that showed a fast pace-of-life syndrome(bolder,more active,and less social/more aggressive)based on an arena test would exhibit stronger sympathetic-adrenal-medullary system reactivity showing a more intense stress-induced hyperthermia(high core body temperature and low peripheral temperature)than individuals with a slow pace of life(shy,less active,and more social).We successfully employed IRT technology to images of Fremont’s squirrels with identification of the individuals’body parts(eye,nose,ear,hind foot).However,we found no support for our hypothesis.Squirrels’body surface temperatures told us more about a squirrel’s external environment and less about the thermal state of the body in that environment following a stressful event.Further studies need to assess how to make IRT effective and efficient in the field and improve its performance in studying the relationships between physiology and personality in wildlife.

Life cycle assessment of open field and greenhouse cultivation of lettuce and barley

In the present paper,a life cycle assessment(LCA)study regarding barley and lettuce production in Spain(Barrax and Santomera regions)and Italy(Albenga region)in both open field(OF)and standard greenhouse(GH)cultivations was performed in order to evaluate energy consumption and environmental impacts.The study examines also the impact of the use of compost produced from agricultural wastes(AW).In this context,a detailed life cycle directory was created,based on site-specific experimental data,and used for a holistic cradle-to-gate LCA analysis using the GaBi 6 software package and specific related databases.In order to reveal the importance of system boundaries,factors that are often excluded from LCA studies,such as agricultural machinery manufacture,nursery production,waste management and raw materials transportation have been considered.According to the results of this study,the use of compost for fertilization of both crops is considered a good agronomic and ecological strategy in order to maintain productivity in terms of yield,especially in the case of greenhouse cultivation,and improve overall sustainability in the agricultural sector.Moreover,the phases of compost production,irrigation system,and greenhouse construction and operation were identified as the three main‘‘hotspots”with the highest environmental impact and energy contribution in all studied cases.Finally,improvements to reduce those impacts were proposed.

Effects of extremely low frequency magnetic field on anxiety level and spatial memory of adult rats

Background As the widespread use of electric devices in modern life, human are exposed to extremely low frequency magnetic fields （ELF MF） much more frequently than ever. Over the past decades, a substantial number of epidemiological and experimental studies have demonstrated that ELF MF （50 Hz） exposure is associated with increased risk of various health effects. The present study examined the effects of chronic exposure to ELF MF on anxiety level and spatial memory of adult rats. Methods The 50-Hz ELF MF was used during the whole experimental procedures and the value of magnetic field （MF） was set to 2 mT. Adult rats were divided randomly to control, MF 1 hour and MF 4 hours group. Anxiety-related behaviors were examined in the open field test and the elevated plus maze; changes in spatial learning and memory were determined in Morris water maze aRer 4 weeks of daily exposure. Results Rats in MF 4 hours group had increased anxiety-like behaviors with unaltered locomotor activity. In the Morris water maze test, rats had reduced latency to find the hidden platform and improved long-term memory of former location of platform without changes in short-term memory and locomotor activity. Conclusion Chronic ELF MF exposure has anxiogenic effect on rats, and the promoting effects on spatial learning and long-term retention of spatial memory.

Effect of Mushroom Extract Hericium erinaceus on Spatial Memory and Morphology of Neurons in the CA1 and CA3 Regions of the Hippocampus in Ovariectomized Rats

Various studies indicate that low levels of estradiol negatively impact cognitive abilities. Extracts from the fungus Hericium erinaceus (HE) contain bioactive components that promote the proper functioning of the nervous system and potential effects on protection against neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia and motor dysfunctions. The objective was to evaluate the effects of the administration of the HE mushroom extract on visuospatial memory and morphology of neurons in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus in ovariectomized rats. 40 young Wistar rats weighing 90 ± 10 g BW were used, which were distributed into four groups of 10 animals;Control Group, non-ovariectomized and untreated rats;Group E2, ovariectomized rats treated with estradiol (2 μg/kg/body weight);Group HE, ovariectomized rats treated with the extract of the fungus Hericium erinaceus (0.5 mg/kg body weight) and Group Ovx/ST, ovariectomized rats, without treatment. The animals were tested in the Barnes and Open Field maze, then they were sacrificed, and their brains were obtained to perform a histological analysis of neuronal morphology in the CA1 and CA3 areas of the hippocampus. The most outstanding results showed that the Ovx/ST group recorded the longest time to arrive at the escape box and stay in the Barnes maze. A correlation was observed between neuronal damage and function;in the groups that did not present satisfactory performance in the maze tests, morphological alterations were identified such as the presence of some neuronal somata with degeneration characteristics such as pyknosis, nuclear basophilia and shrinkage of the cells. Its soma, as well as a decrease in the nuclear area of CA1 and CA3 neurons. It is concluded that the fungus Hericium erinaceus exerted a neuroprotective effect on the neuronal bodies of the hippocampus, associated with better performance in the visuospatial recognition memory test.