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. 2017 Jun:25:167-175.
doi: 10.1016/j.dcn.2016.11.004. Epub 2016 Nov 19.

Ontogeny of sensorimotor gating and short-term memory processing throughout the adolescent period in rats

Affiliations

Ontogeny of sensorimotor gating and short-term memory processing throughout the adolescent period in rats

Anja A Goepfrich et al. Dev Cogn Neurosci. 2017 Jun.

Abstract

Adolescence and puberty are highly susceptible developmental periods during which the neuronal organization and maturation of the brain is completed. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system, which is well known to modulate cognitive processing, undergoes profound and transient developmental changes during adolescence. With the present study we were aiming to examine the ontogeny of cognitive skills throughout adolescence in male rats and clarify the potential modulatory role of CB1 receptor signalling. Cognitive skills were assessed repeatedly every 10th day in rats throughout adolescence. All animals were tested for object recognition memory and prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex. Although cognitive performance in short-term memory as well as sensorimotor gating abilities were decreased during puberty compared to adulthood, both tasks were found to show different developmental trajectories throughout adolescence. A low dose of the CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist SR141716 was found to improve recognition memory specifically in pubertal animals while not affecting behavioral performance at other ages tested. The present findings demonstrate that the developmental trajectory of cognitive abilities does not occur linearly for all cognitive processes and is strongly influenced by pubertal maturation. Developmental alterations within the eCB system at puberty onset may be involved in these changes in cognitive processing.

Keywords: Adolescence; CB1 receptor; Cognition; Ontogeny; Puberty; Rat.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Developmental trajectory of short-term object recognition memory throughout adolescence (pd 30–70) until adulthood (pd 130). The ability for successful object discrimination (above chance level 50%) was already fully developed on pd 30. However, performance levels declined afterwards and remained disturbed throughout puberty from pd 40 to 60 and recovered again at young adulthood around pd 70 where only a trend for deficient discrimination was observed (A). Object exploration times were highest around pd 30 and 40 and gradually declined until pd 130 (B). Data are expressed as mean + S.E.M. (formula image p < 0.05, # p < 0.1; n = 16).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Repeated testing for short-term object recognition memory in adult control animals. Repeated testing had no significant effect on behavioral performance in adult rats for object discrimination (A). Discrimination values differed significantly from chance level at all time points tested. No differences were found for object exploration times (B). Data are expressed as mean + S.E.M. (n = 16).
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Developmental trajectory of PPI of the ASR throughout adolescence (pd 30–70) until adulthood (pd 130). PPI values, calculated as mean PPI over the 4 prepulse intensities assessed, showed a gradual increase throughout adolescence until adult performance levels were reached at pd 130 (A). Similarly, ASR amplitudes were significantly lower during the adolescent period than after reaching adulthood. Data are expressed as mean + S.E.M. (formula image p < 0.05, n = 16).
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Repeated testing for PPI of the ASR in adult control animals. Repeated testing had no significant effect on behavioral performance in adult rats for mean PPI (A), and ASR amplitudes (B). Data are expressed as mean + S.E.M. (n = 16).
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Dose-response effects of the CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist SR141716 on the ASR. Acute injections of 1 mg/kg significantly affected the ASR, while 0.3 mg/kg had no effect. Data are expressed as mean + S.E.M. (formula image p < 0.05, # p < 0.1; VEH n = 10, SR 0.3, 0.6 and 1 mg/kg n = 8).
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Effects of SR141716 (SR) on percentage object discrimination in prepubertal (A), pubertal (B) and adult (C) animals and object exploration times (D–F). Object discrimination did not differ from chance level specifically on pd 40 (vehicle treated animals), while at all other ages animals showed successful object discrimination. Acute injections of a sub-threshold dose of SR on pd 40 were found to improve recognition memory significantly, while injections of the same dose had no effect on pd 30 and 130. Exploration time on pd 30 was significantly reduced in SR treated animals compared to vehicle-treated controls. No differences were observed for any other time point. Data are expressed as mean + S.E.M. (formula image p < 0.05; pd 30: VEH n = 12, SR n = 11, pd 40: VEH n = 15, SR n = 17; pd 130 VEH n = 18, SR n = 14).
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Effects of SR141716 on PPI of the ASR in prepubertal (A), pubertal (B) and adult (C) animals and ASR amplitude (D-F). Acute injections of a sub-threshold dose of SR141716 did neither affect PPI nor ASR at any age tested. Data are expressed as mean + S.E.M. (pd 30: VEH n = 12, SR n = 11, pd 40: VEH n = 15, SR n = 17; pd 130 VEH n = 18, SR n = 14).

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