Induction of Brain Injury and Depression in Rats by Chronic Unpredictable Stress Associated with the Augmentation of Nitrosative Stress and Apoptosis/Induccion de Lesion Cerebral y Depresion en Ratas por Estres Cronico Impredecible Asociado con el Aumento del Estres Nitrosativo y la Apoptosis

• Published in: International journal of morphology 2020-09, Vol.38 (5), p.1217
• Main Author: Bin-Jaliah, Ismaeel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0717-9367

Repeat ed stress is a risk factor for memory impairment and neurological abnormalities in both humans and animals. We sought to investigate the extent of (i) brain tissue injury; (ii) nitrosative and oxidative stress in brain tissue homogenates; (iii) apoptotic and survival biomarkers in brain tissue homogenates; and (iv) immobility and climbing abilities, induced over a period of three weeks by chronic unpredictable stress (CUS). Wistar rats were either left untreated (Control group) or exposed to a variety of unpredictable stressors daily before being sacrificed after 3 weeks (model group). Assessment of depression-like behavior was performed and animals were then culled and harvested brain tissues were stained with basic histological staining and examined under light microscopy. In addition, brain tissue homogenates were prepared and assayed for these parameters; inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), caspase-3, and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2). Histology images showed CUS induced profound damage to the cerebral cortex as demonstrated by severe neuronal damage with shrunken cells, disrupted atrophic nuclei, perineuronal vacuolation and swollen glial cells. CUS also significantly (p