Systemic administration of anti-NGF antibodies to neonatal mice impairs 24-h retention of an inhibitory avoidance task while increasing ChAT immunoreactivity in the medial septum.

摘要: Neonatal mice received subcutaneous injections of either antibody against murine NGF raised in goat (3 mg, injection volume 50 microliters) or preimmune serum on postnatal days 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. They were tested 15-16 20-21 for learning 24-h retention a passive avoidance step-through task. Immunostaining choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) was measured two cholinergic forebrain areas (septum caudate-putamen) day 16 21. Locomotor activity exploratory behavior an open-field test also assessed 17 22, following single administration scopolamine (2 mg/kg) saline solution. While anti-NGF treatment did not affect acquisition 15, impairment evident 16. On 20-21, no effects found capabilities. Analysis ChAT immunostaining revealed significant increase ChAT-immunopositive cells the medial septal area 16-day-old but 21-day-old mice. Behavior age-typical response to altered by at ages considered. These data support view that immunological neutralization endogenous specifically affects maturation capabilities altricial rodents, confirm involvement mechanisms early memory processes.