1. Sex influences in the preventive effects of peripubertal supplementation with N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in mice exposed to the two-hit model of schizophrenia
- Author
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Danielle Silveira Macêdo, Germana Silva Vasconcelos, Francisco Eliclécio Rodrigues da Silva, Ayane Edwiges Moura da Costa, Adriano José Maia Chaves Filho, Carlos Venício Jatai Gadelha Filho, Silvânia Maria Mendes Vasconcelos, Rafaela Carneiro Cordeiro, Tatiane da Silva Araújo, Nayana Soares Gomes, Roberta Oliveira da Costa, Maria Gabrielle Oliveira e Silva Linhares, and David Freitas Lucena
- Subjects
Male ,0301 basic medicine ,Reflex, Startle ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Hippocampus ,Antioxidants ,Mice ,03 medical and health sciences ,Sex Factors ,0302 clinical medicine ,Neurodevelopmental disorder ,Internal medicine ,Fatty Acids, Omega-3 ,Moro reflex ,medicine ,TBARS ,Animals ,Maze Learning ,Social Behavior ,Prefrontal cortex ,Prepulse inhibition ,Pharmacology ,Behavior, Animal ,Prepulse Inhibition ,business.industry ,Working memory ,Sexual Development ,Age Factors ,Brain ,medicine.disease ,Disease Models, Animal ,Oxidative Stress ,Poly I-C ,030104 developmental biology ,Endocrinology ,Schizophrenia ,Dietary Supplements ,Female ,Schizophrenic Psychology ,sense organs ,business ,Stress, Psychological ,030217 neurology & neurosurgery - Abstract
Schizophrenia is a devastating neurodevelopmental disorder. The animal model based on perinatal immune activation, as first-hit, combined with peripubertal stress, as a second hit, has gained evidence in recent years. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFAs) is being a promise for schizophrenia prevention. Nevertheless, the influence of sex in schizophrenia neurobiology and prevention has been neglected. Thus, the present study evaluates the preventive effects of n3-PUFAs in both sexes' mice submitted to the two-hit model and the participation of oxidative changes in this mechanism. The two-hit consisted of polyI:C administration from postnatal days (PNs) 5-7, and unpredictable stress from PNs35-43. n3-PUFAs were administered from PNs30-60. Prepulse inhibition of the startle reflex (PPI), social interaction, and Y-maze tests were conducted between PNs70-72 to evaluate positive-, negative-, and cognitive-like schizophrenia symptoms. We assessed brain oxidative changes in brain areas and plasma. Both sexes' two-hit mice presented deficits in PPI, social interaction, and working memory that were prevented by n3-PUFAs. In two-hit females, n3-PUFAs prevented increments in nitrite levels in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus, striatum, and plasma TBARS levels. In two-hit males, n3-PUFAs prevented the increase in TBARS in the PFC, hippocampus, and striatum. Notably, male mice that received only n3-PUFAs without hit exposure presented impairments in working memory and social interaction. These results add further preclinical evidence for n3-PUFAs as an accessible and effective alternative in preventing behavioral and oxidative changes related to schizophrenia but call attention to the need for precaution in this indication due to hit- and sex-sensitive issues.
- Published
- 2021
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