Early Adolescent Emergence of Reversal Learning Impairments in Isolation-Reared Rats.

摘要: Cognitive impairments appear early in the progression of schizophrenia, often preceding symptoms psychosis. Thus, systems subserving these functions may be more vulnerable to, and mechanistically linked with, initial pathology. Understanding trajectory behavioral anatomical abnormalities relevant to schizophrenia prodrome their sensitivity interventions models will critical identifying therapeutic strategies. Isolation rearing rats is an environmental perturbation that deprives rodents social contact from weaning through adulthood produces neuronal mirror some pathophysiology associated with e.g. frontal cortex prepulse inhibition (PPI) startle deficits. Previously, we showed PPI deficits isolation-reared emerge mid-adolescence (4 weeks after weaning; approx. postnatal day 52) but are not present when tested at 2 (approx. 38). Because cognitive reported during adolescence, prodrome, functional outcome, examined putative time course reversal learning rats. Separate groups male Sprague Dawley were a two-choice discrimination task 8 weaning, on 38 80, respectively. The displayed impaired both points. was also 4 10 weaning. isolated accompanied by reductions parvalbumin immunoreactivity, marker for specific subpopulations GABAergic neurons, hippocampus. Hence, isolation offer unique model examine ontogeny neurobiological alterations preclinical prodromal