Morphofunctional characteristics of the glutathione cycle in peripheral blood erythrocytes of pregnant women with a history of cytomegalovirus infection exacerbation during gestation.

We studied factors influencing peripheral blood erythrocytes of pregnant women with exacerbation of cytomegalovirus infection during gestation. Cytomegalovirus infection was associated with a decrease in the content of reduced glutathione in erythrocytes and glutathione peroxidase, which leads to H2O2 accumulation in the blood. Exacerbation of cytomegalovirus infection was associated with reduction of glutathione reductase and SOD activities. Erythrocyte antioxidant function and the peripheral blood discocyte count decreased. Accumulation of degenerative erythrocytes is fraught with the risk of anemia in pregnant women.

Analysis of cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate levels in structures of the "informational" and "motivational" systems of the rat brain during acquisition of a conditioned active avoidance reaction.

Cyclic adenosine-3'5'-monophosphate (cAMP) levels in structures of the "informational" and "motivational" systems of the brain were measured during acquisition of a conditioned two-sided active avoidance reflex in rats. cAMP levels were measured in three groups of animals--intact animals, trained animals, and an active control group (given uncombined presentations of the conditioned (light) and unconditioned (electric shock) stimuli)--immediately after reproduction of the acquired reflex. Significant accumulation of cAMP levels in brain structures was seen in animals of the active control group in the hypothalamus and in trained animals in the left and right hippocampus and the right frontal cortex. Positive correlations were found between cAMP levels in symmetrical parts of the frontal cortex, amygdala, and hypothalamus in animals of all study groups. In addition, active control rats and trained rats showed interhemisphere and intrahemisphere correlations between cAMP levels in brain macrostructure, whose patterns were specific for each group. The pattern of correlations observed here is assessed from the point of view of the role of the "informational" and "motivational" structures in the organization of adaptive behavior.

[Analysis of the level of cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate in structures of the 'informational' and 'motivational' system of the rat brain during active conditioning]. / Analiz soderzhaniia tsiklicheskogo adenozin-3',5'-monofosfata v strukturakh "informatsionnoi" i "motivatsionnoi" sistem mozga krys pri vyrabotke uslovnoi reaktsii aktivnogo izbeganiia.

The content of cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) was studied in structures of the "motivational" and "infromational" systems of rat brain after the active avoidance conditioning procedure in rats. Three groups of animals were examined: naive rats, trained (conditioned) rats, and group of the active control presented with uncombined conditioned (light) and unconditioned (electric footshock) stimuli. The content of cAMP was determined in the frontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus of both hemispheres immediately after the retrieval of conditioned reaction one day after conditioning. A significant increase in cAMP level was bilaterally observed in the hypothalamus in the group of active control, and in both hippocampi and the right frontal cortex in the conditioned animals. Positive correlations between the cAMP levels in symmetrical regions of the frontal cortex, amygdala, and hypothalamus were revealed in all the examined groups. Additionally, intra- and interhemispheric correlations were found in the active control and conditioned rats. Patterns of correlation were specific for each of these groups. The observed phenomenon is discussed in term of involvement of "informational" and "motivational" brain structures in the mechanisms of adaptive behavior.

Effects of bilateral cholinotoxin infusions on the behavior and brain biochemistry of the rats.

We examined behavioral and biochemical specificity and the general usefulness of the proposed rat model of Alzheimer's disease. Bilateral infusions of ethylcholine aziridinium (AF64A) into the basal magnocellular nuclei caused a deterioration of learning in passive and active avoidance tests, increased emotional reactivity, and decreased motoric activity. Choline acetyltransferase activity was decreased by 22% in the frontal cortex but increased by 8-10% in the hippocampus and hypothalamus. Noradrenaline and dopamine levels in the frontal cortex were decreased by 20%. In striatum, dopamine and its metabolites were strongly suppressed (by 50-60%). Also striatal noradrenaline (-48%) and 5-hydroxytryptamine (-34%) were significantly decreased. Hypothalamic 5-hydroxytryptamine was increased (+25%). Bilateral AF64A lesions decreased significantly (by 14-20%) activities of prolyl endopeptidase, dipeptidyl peptidase II and IV in hippocampal and frontal cortical brain homogenates. These results show that AF64A can be used to induce long-term learning deficits in the rat. However, striatal amine levels are also strongly suppressed, and are reflected as hypomotility and increased emotional reactivity. These changes may limit the usefulness of the rat model. Universally decreased peptidase activities offer interesting views regarding the role of peptidase inhibitors in amnestic disorders.

[Sodium oxybutyrate normalizes the central nervous system functions in the progeny of rats subjected to hypobaric hypoxia during pregnancy]. / Natriia oksibutirat mormalizuet funktsii tsentral'noi nervnoi sistemy u potomstva krys, podvergshikhsia gipobaricheskoi gipoksii vo vremia beremennosti.

Two-hour hypobaric hypoxia of rats on day 15 of their pregnancy led to a reduction in weight gain of pups within 20 days after birth, disturbed memory in active and passive paradigms, changed adaptive behavior in the extrapolatory water avoidance test, and impaired sleep in adult animals. Postnatal treatment with sodium hydroxybutyrate given in a dose of 50 mg/kg/day on days 8 to 20 of life normalized mnestic functions of the brain, the process of falling asleep, and physical development which had been impaired by intrauterine hypoxia.

[Behavior disorders in rats exposed to intrauterine hypoxia, and their correction by postnatal treatment with piracetam]. / Narusheniia povedeniia krys, podvergshikhsia vnutriutrobnoi gipoksii, i ikh korrektsiia postnatal'nym vozdeistviem piratsetama.

Hypobaric hypoxia of the pregnant rats was followed by the reduction of weight gain of the newborn pups, delayed impairment of memory (passive and active tasks) and changes of extrapolative water escape. Piracetam (200 mg/kg/day) administered at early postnatal period (from 8th to 20th day of life) corrected behavioral disturbances and physical development in rats. Postnatal therapy by nootropics didn't influence in adaptive behavior damaged by prenatal hypoxia.

Pharmacological correction of CNS functional disorders and parkinsonian syndrome in old animals.

The effects of 2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-hydroxypyridine (3-HP) on age-related and alcohol-induced impairment of memory and learning were studied in rats and mice. 3-HP was found to accelerate the acquisition of the conditioned reflex of active avoidance and to improve the retention of the conditioned reflex of passive avoidance in old (24 months) rats. 3-HP consumption during chronic (5 months) alcoholisation improved learning ability and prevented lipofuscin accumulation in brain of ethanol-treated mice. Extrapyramidal disorders after systemic administration of MPTP and intranigral injection of MPP+ depended on age of animals, dose of MPTP and MPP+, and duration of administration. The beneficial effects of 3-HP on age-related impairment of memory and learning and experimental parkinsonian syndrome may be due to its ability to inhibit the peroxidation of membrane lipids and increase cell resistance to different disturbing actions.

[Effect of a 3-hydroxypyridine-class antioxidant on an ethanol-induced learning disorder in mice and the accumulation of lipofuscin]. / Vliianie antioksidanta iz klassa 3-oksipiridinov na vyzvannoe étanolom narushenie obucheniia u myshei i nakoplenie lipofustsina.

Molecular processes of biological aging could interact with molecular effects of ethanol, potentiating each other and culminating in accelerated aging process. According to this premise effect of antioxidant of 3-hydroxypyridine class (3-HP) on behaviour of 3-month-old mice after chronic alcoholisation was investigated. 5-month alcoholisation induced impairment of the process of learning in mice and accelerated accumulation of lipofuscin (age pigment) in the brain. 3-HP consumption (20-25 mg/kg/day in drinking water) during alcoholisation contributed to preservation of learning ability in mice and decreased lipofuscin accumulation in the brain in comparison with alcohol-treated mice. Effect of 3-HP may be due to its antioxidant properties and its ability to increase animals resistance to the extreme factors.

[Effect of a 3-hydroxypyridine-class antioxidant on the functional activity of the central nervous system in mice of different age groups]. / Vliianie antioksidanta iz klassa 3-oksipiridina na funktsional'nuiu aktivnost' tsentral'noi nervnoi sistemy myshei raznykh vozrastnykh grupp.

Characteristics of emotional reactivity, orienting-investigating behaviour and of preservation of conditioned reflex of passive avoidance were used for estimation of the functional activity of animals CNS and also of psychotropic effect of antioxidant 2-ethyl-6-methyl-3-oxypyridine (3-OP) on mice of different age. Studies were carried out on white outbred young (3 months) and elderly (15 months) male mice. Different character was observed of the emotional reactions of different age mice to aversive stimuli and to the open field conditions. Differences were noted of psychotropic effects of 3-OP in 3 and 15-months animals.

[Geropsychotropic properties of an antioxidant of the 3-hydroxypyridine class in an experiment]. / Geropsikhotropnye svoistva antioksidanta iz klassa 3-oksipiridina v éksperimente.

Comparative experimental investigation of albino male rats 3 and 16 months old has been performed. 16-month-old rats demonstrated age-dependent functional insufficiency in some behavioural tests. 2 month injection of 3-hydroxypyridine antioxidant (50 mg/kg/day) normalized memory function, motor skill learning and motor coordination function in 16-month-old rats.