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Highlights: [•] We assess heavy metal content and genotoxicity in frogs from a coal area. [•] Contents of heavy metal in frogs from coal area were higher than reference values. [•] We detected the highest contents of heavy metal in the liver and in the kidneys. [•] The genotoxicity was significantly higher in specimens from the coal area. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Neuropeptide S (NPS) and its receptor were recently discovered in the central nervous system. In rodents, NPS promotes hyperlocomotion, wakefulness, anxiolysis, anorexia, and analgesia and enhances memory when injected intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.). Herein, NPS at different doses (0.01, 0.1 and 1nmol) was i.c.v. administered in mice challenged with pentylenetetrazole (PTZ; 60mg/kg) repeatedly injected. Aiming to assess behavioral alterations and oxidative damage to macromolecules in the brain, NPS was injected 5min prior to the last dose of PTZ. The administration of NPS only at 1nmol increased the duration of seizures evoked by PTZ, without modifying frequency and latency of seizures. Biochemical analysis revealed that NPS attenuated PTZ-induced oxidative damage to proteins and lipids in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. In contrast, the administration of NPS to PTZ-treated mice increased DNA damage in the hippocampus, but not cerebral cortex. In conclusion, this is the first evidence of the potential proconvulsive effects of NPS in mice. The protective effects of NPS against lipid and protein oxidative damage in the mouse hippocampus and cerebral cortex evoked by PTZ-induced seizures are quite unexpected. The present findings were discussed analyzing the paradoxical effects of NPS: facilitation of convulsive behavior and protection against oxidative damage to lipids and proteins. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: There is an emerging body of data suggesting that bipolar disorder is associated with DNA damage. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) administration of ouabain in rats results in manic-like alterations. We evaluated DNA damage of peripheral blood, cerebrospinal fluid and hippocampus of rats after ICV ouabain injection. Ouabain-induced hyperlocomotion was examined in an open field. Additionally, we used single cell gel electrophoresis (comet assay) to measure early transient damage in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), hippocampus and blood; and the micronucleus test to measure persistent damage in total blood samples of rats after ouabain administration. Our findings demonstrated that ouabain induced hyperlocomotion in rats, and this response remained up to 7 days following a single ICV injection. In addition, we observed that the persistent increase in the rat spontaneous locomotion is associated with increased hippocampal and peripheral index of early DNA damage in rats. No significant alterations were observed in the micronucleus frequency in total blood samples of the rats after the ouabain ICV injection. These results suggest that ouabain may induce peripheral and central early DNA damage, but this early damage may be repaired. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]