Effects of MPTP on spatial learning ability/memory and dopaminergic neurons in Nigra of senescence accelerated-prone 8 mice / 第二军医大学学报

ABSTRACT

Objective: To observe the effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) on the spatial learning ability/memory and dopaminergic neurons in the Nigra of senescence accelerated-prone 8 (SAMP8) mice. Methods: Three-month old male SAMP8 mice were injected with MPTP (36 mg/ kg,s. c.) for 5 days,and animals in the control group were injected with NS (36 ml/kg, s. c.) in the same manner. Morris water maze was used to examine the searching strategy, seeking-platform latency,and the swimming time in the aimed quadrant. Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the changes of TH-ir positive neurons in substantia nigra. Results: The number of TH-ir neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta was significantly reduced in MPTP group compared with the control group(P<0.01). Morris water maze showed that the searching strategy of animals in MPTP group was worse than in the control group, with the seeking-platform latency of MPTP mice significantly prolonged (P<0.01), the time spent in the aimed quadrant significantly decreased (P<0.01) and time in the opposite quadrant significantly prolonged (P<0.05). Conclusion: MPTP can cause damage to the dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of SAMP8 mice,which is subsequently followed by deficit in the spatial learning and memory in the animals.