ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the outcome of brain derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) and parvalbumin (PV) positive neurons after hyperbaric oxygen intervention for the valproic acid(VPA) autism rats in hippocampal CA1 region.Methods The animal model of autism was established by the methods of Schneider and Przewlocki.Animal model groups of autism were obtained in male offspring of the Wistar rats that received intraperitoneal injection of 600 mg/kg VPA on the 12.5 day after pregnancy according to the eye opening time,behavior,weaning weight and the learning and memory abilities which were evaluated by the Y electricity maze test on the 28th day after birth.Forty-eight male VPA autism rats were randomly divided into high-pressure high-oxygen group,high-pressure air group and normal pressure high-oxygen group and normal pressure air group(n =12,each group).Normal control group was obtained in male offspring of Wistar rats that received intraperitoneal injection of equivalent physiological saline in the same period (n =12).Using the immunohistochemistry methods and image analysis to examine the number of BDNF and PV positive neurons in hippocampal CA1 region of different groups.Results The number of BDNF positive neurons in normal pressure air model group was more than that in the normal pressure air control group,with statistical difference between them(5.00 ± 1.60 vs 3.00 ± 1.04,t =3.633,P =0.001).The number of the PV positive neurons in the normal pressure air model group was more than that of the normal pressure air control group,with statistical difference between them (5.33 ± 0.99 vs 2.83 ± 1.29,t =5.369,P =0.000).The number of the PV positive neurons in the high-pressure high-oxygen group was less than that in the normal pressure air model group,with statistical difference between them (3.33 ±0.99 vs 5.33 0.99,t =4.975,P =0.000).The number of the PV positive neurons in the high-pressure highoxygen group was less than that in the high-pressure-air model group (3.33 ± 0.99 vs 4.67 ± 1.92,t =-2.138,P =0.044).Conclusions The pathogenesis of autism may be related to the expression level of BDNF and PV in the hippocampal CA1 region and this may serve as the mechanism of hyperbaric oxygen intervention of autism animal model for effective treatment.