Postnatal maturation of prefrontal pyramidal neurones is sensitive to a single early dose of methamphetamine in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

• Published in: Journal of Neural Transmission 2001-01, Vol.108 (1), p.101-113
• Main Authors: BLAESING, B, NOSSOLL, M, TEUCHERT-NOODT, G, DAWIRS, R. R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Newborn - growth & development; Animals, Newborn - metabolism; Axons - drug effects; Axons - metabolism; Axons - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Cell Size - drug effects; Cell Size - physiology; Dendrites - drug effects; Dendrites - pathology; Development. Senescence. Regeneration. Transplantation; Dopamine - metabolism; Dopamine Agents - toxicity; Drug Administration Schedule; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gerbillinae; Male; Meriones unguiculatus; Methamphetamine - toxicity; Neural Pathways - cytology; Neural Pathways - drug effects; Neural Pathways - metabolism; Prefrontal Cortex - drug effects; Prefrontal Cortex - growth & development; Prefrontal Cortex - pathology; Pyramidal Cells - drug effects; Pyramidal Cells - pathology; Silver Staining - methods; Ventral Tegmental Area - cytology; Ventral Tegmental Area - drug effects; Ventral Tegmental Area - metabolism; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs
• ISSN: 0300-9564; 1435-1463
• DOI: 10.1007/s007020170101

The effect of a single methamphetamine application on postnatal maturation of the prefrontal cortex was studied using pyramidal cell morphology and spine density as parameters of systemic plasticity. Male gerbils were injected a single dose of methamphetamine (METH, 50mg/kg, i.p.) on postnatal day 14. On postnatal day 90, prefrontal cortices of METH-treated animals and saline-treated controls were processed for Golgi-staining. Dendritic arbours of layer III and V pyramidal neurones were measured to describe pyramidal cell morphology, and segmental spine counts were carried out. The results showed that a single postnatal METH-challenge significantly alters morphological differentiation of pyramidal cells towards adulthood. Cells from METH-treated animals showed a higher total dendritic length based on longer segments between subsequent dendritic branchings, with only the apical stem dendrite being shorter in METH-treated than in control subjects. The branching rate was slightly but not significantly increased in METH-treated animals. Nevertheless, spine density was significantly increased on all types of dendrites, with apical dendrites of both layers III and V showing the highest drug-induced progression of about 50% compared to control values. The present results are discussed with regard to probable clues they may provide for investigating neurobiological principles of psychotic behaviour in an animal model.