ABSTRACT
Objectives: This study aimed to understand whether an enriched environment (EE) in adulthood benefits in mitigating the early life stress-induced changes in the structure and functions of the hippocampus and amygdala. Materials and Methods: Male Wistar rats were exposed daily for 6 h to early maternal separation and isolation (MS) stress from postnatal days (PND) 4–14 and later at PND 60–70 days subjected to EE, while, the normal control (NC) rats were not subjected to stress but reared with the mother under standard housing conditions. The effects of MS and EE on adulthood behaviour were not subjected to stress but assessed by measuring the ambulatory, repetitive and anxiety-like behaviour. The study has also done the plasma corticosterone concentrations. The dendritic remodelling in the amygdala and hippocampus was assessed using the Golgi cox staining approach. Finally, the present study compared the reactive oxygen species-induced lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant capacity in MS rats as an indirect measure of oxidative stress to study the impact of MS stress on the limbic circuit and peripheral organs. Results: MS rats showed increased anxiety and lower plasma corticosterone levels. The pyramidal neurons’ dendritic plasticity displayed a different pattern, with shrinkage in the CA1 hippocampal neurons and hypertrophy in the amygdala’s primary neurons. Variations in antioxidant activity and peroxidation observed in NC to MS across tissues indicate the occurrence and management of oxidative stress in MS. The 10 days of EE in young adulthood helped to reduce MS stress-induced structural abnormalities in hippocampal and amygdala pyramidal neurons, as well as anxiety and plasma corticosterone levels. Conclusion: These findings together indicate that exposure to adverse experiences may cause harmful effects on brain plasticity and behaviour in young adulthood. Exposure to EE may be beneficial in reducing the early life stress-induced pathophysiology later in life.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the biometric changes in Indian pediatric cataract and postoperative refractive status. Methods: A total of 147 patients were recruited into three groups: age <6 months, age between 7 months and 18 months, and age between 19 and 60 months and prospectively observed for 6 months. Exclusion criteria were preterm birth, microphthalmia, microcornea, megalocornea, uveitis, glaucoma, and traumatic or complicated cataract. Axial length and keratometry, the primary outcome measures, were taken preoperatively under general anesthesia before surgery. These children were followed up for 6 months to look for refractive and biometric changes. T-test and linear regression with the logarithm of independent variables were done. Results: All unilateral cataractous eyes (n = 25) and randomly selected bilateral cases (n = 122) were included in the analysis, for a total of 147 eyes. Mean age was 17.163 ± 13.024 months; axial length growth was 0.21, 0.18, 0.06 mm/month, and keratometry decline was 0.083, 0.035, 0.001 D/month in age groups 0–6, 7–18, and 19–60 months, respectively. The visual acuity improved in log MAR from 1.020 to 0.745 at 6 months postoperatively. There was statistically significant (Spearman's correlation coefficient = –0.575, P < 0.001) between age and postoperative refraction. There were no intraocular lens (IOL)-related complications seen in the immediate postoperative period. Peripheral opacification was seen in 102 eyes and central opacification in 1 eye at a 6-month follow-up. Conclusion: Indian eyes have a lower rate of axial length growth and keratometry change in comparison with western eyes implying smaller undercorrection in emmetropic IOL power for Indian pediatric eyes to achieve a moderate amount of hyperopia.