RESUMEN

Occurrence of the epileptic seizures during gestation might affect the neurodevelopment of the fetus resulting in cognitive problems for the child later in life. We have previously reported that prenatal pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-kindling induces learning and memory deficits in the children born to kindled mothers, later in life but the mechanisms involved in this processes are unknown. The cholinergic system plays a major role in learning and memory. The present study was performed to investigate the possible involvement of central muscarinic cholinergic receptors on learning and memory deficits induced by prenatal PTZ-kindling in male offspring. Pregnant Wistar rats were kindled by repetitive i.p. injection of 25mg/kg of PTZ on day 13 of their pregnancy. The effect of intracerebroventricular (ICV) microinjection of scopolamine and pilocarpine, muscarinic cholinergic receptors antagonist and agonist, respectively on passive-avoidance learning of pups were tested at 12weeks of age using shuttle-box apparatus. Our data showed that the retention latencies of pups that received scopolamine (2 or 3µg) were significantly reduced compared to those received normal saline (p<0.05). Interestingly, post training ICV administration of pilocarpine (2µg) retrieved pups' memory deficits (p<0.001). These results demonstrate for the first time, the importance of the central muscarinic cholinergic receptors in learning and memory deficits in pups born to kindled dams and suggest a central mechanism for the cognitive and memory dysfunction, associated with seizures during pregnancy.

Asunto(s)

Reacción de Prevención/fisiología , Encéfalo/fisiopatología , Excitación Neurológica/fisiología , Discapacidades para el Aprendizaje/fisiopatología , Efectos Tardíos de la Exposición Prenatal , Receptores Muscarínicos/metabolismo , Animales , Reacción de Prevención/efectos de los fármacos , Encéfalo/efectos de los fármacos , Encéfalo/crecimiento & desarrollo , Femenino , Discapacidades para el Aprendizaje/tratamiento farmacológico , Masculino , Agonistas Muscarínicos/farmacología , Antagonistas Muscarínicos/farmacología , Pentilenotetrazol , Pilocarpina/farmacología , Embarazo , Ratas Wistar , Escopolamina/farmacología

RESUMEN

Herbal based remedies are used worldwide to treat psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to analyse the essential oil composition of Achillea Wilhemsii C. Koch (Asteraceae) and to evaluate its anxiolytic effects in the elevated plus maze (EPM) model of anxiety in rat. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis of the essential oil showed that the main compounds of the oil were p-ocimen (23%), 1, 8-cineole (20.8%) and carvone (19.13%). The EPM results showed that 1 mg/kg (i.p.) of the oil significantly (P<0.05) increased the percentage of the time spent and the number of entries in the open arms of the maze while it did not change the total number of entries in the maze arms. These effects were not reversed with 2 mg/kg flumazenil and 5 mg/kg naloxone. We concluded that a minimum dose of 1 mg/kg of the oil has anxiolytic effects which are not probably mediated through GABA and opioid receptors.