The impact of social isolation in the pandemic context on elderly Brazilian mental health is little known, especially about the occurrence of depressive symptoms. In this study, we evaluated elderly people undergoing social isolation in order to identify factors associated with depression and which of these are more important to characterize elderly Brazilians with depression. In a cross-sectional, exploratory, and analytical study of a quantitative nature, the mental profile of elderly individuals subjected to social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic period was used. A total of 450 participants was divided into normal and depressive groups, and a form covering sociodemographic data, opinions/perceptions about the pandemic, and a Reduced Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess participants' mental health. To assess the statistical significance between the variables, chi-square test was applied, considering the p-value <0.05. The effect size was analyzed to identify the magnitude of the difference between groups. To identify the most important characteristics to define the groups Multilayer Perceptron algorithm were applied. We found that elderly people with a depressive profile are (in Multilayer Perceptron rank order) (1) showing signs of anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, (2) of low education, (3) being divorced, (4) having more than one mental disorder, (5) reading, watching, or listening to information about COVID-19, and (6) being previously diagnosed with depression. In conclusion, elderly Brazilians in social isolation tend to develop depressive disorders during quarantine. Thus, we can consider that the pandemic requires effective and safe gerontological care and monitoring, especially with regard to mental health.
Mercury is a severe environmental pollutant with neurotoxic effects, especially when exposed for long periods. Although there are several evidences regarding mercury toxicity, little is known about inorganic mercury (IHg) species and cerebellum, one of the main targets of mercury associated with the neurological symptomatology of mercurial poisoning. Besides that, the global proteomic profile assessment is a valuable tool to screen possible biomarkers and elucidate molecular targets of mercury neurotoxicity; however, the literature is still scarce. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of long-term exposure to IHg in adult rats' cerebellum and explore the modulation of the cerebellar proteome associated with biochemical and functional outcomes, providing evidence, in a translational perspective, of new mercury toxicity targets and possible biomarkers. Fifty-four adult rats were exposed to 0.375 mg/kg of HgCl2 or distilled water for 45 days using intragastric gavage. Then, the motor functions were evaluated by rotarod and inclined plane. The cerebellum was collected to quantify mercury levels, to assess the antioxidant activity against peroxyl radicals (ACAPs), the lipid peroxidation (LPO), the proteomic profile, the cell death nature by cytotoxicity and apoptosis, and the Purkinje cells density. The IHg exposure increased mercury levels in the cerebellum, reducing ACAP and increasing LPO. The proteomic approach revealed a total 419 proteins with different statuses of regulation, associated with different biological processes, such as synaptic signaling, energy metabolism and nervous system development, e.g., all these molecular changes are associated with increased cytotoxicity and apoptosis, with a neurodegenerative pattern on Purkinje cells layer and poor motor coordination and balance. In conclusion, all these findings feature a neurodegenerative process triggered by IHg in the cerebellum that culminated into motor functions deficits, which are associated with several molecular features and may be related to the clinical outcomes of people exposed to the toxicant.
Cerebellum/drug effects , Cerebellum/metabolism , Mercury Poisoning, Nervous System/metabolism , Mercury/toxicity , Neurodegenerative Diseases/metabolism , Proteome/metabolism , Animals , Antioxidants/metabolism , Apoptosis/drug effects , Biomarkers/metabolism , Energy Metabolism/drug effects , Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects , Male , Methylmercury Compounds/toxicity , Motor Cortex/drug effects , Motor Cortex/metabolism , Peroxides/metabolism , Proteomics/methods , Purkinje Cells/drug effects , Purkinje Cells/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Signal Transduction/drug effects
Resumo: Introdução: A participação social na prática de ações promotoras da saúde é uma das diretrizes do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). A partir disso, surge o letramento funcional em saúde (LFS) que se compreende como a capacidade do indivíduo de entender, interpretar e aplicar as informações escritas ou faladas sobre saúde. Nesse contexto, a extensão universitária torna-se uma estratégia que transmite informações sobre prevenção em saúde e permite o seu empoderamento pelos usuários. Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo relatar a experiência de um projeto de extensão que possibilita a interação de acadêmicos e usuários da atenção primária, a fim de estimular o LFS e avaliar a percepção dos usuários sobre as ações desenvolvidas pelos discentes. Método: As intervenções do projeto priorizavam temas e doenças prevalentes na população local e/ou que estão no calendário nacional de conscientização do Ministério da Saúde. No final das intervenções, realizaram-se dinâmicas que simularam situações reais, e alguns usuários foram convidados a participar delas e, partir disso, estimular o LFS. Ademais, a avaliação da percepção dos usuários sobre a participação dos discentes foi realizada por meio de uma entrevista, na qual se utilizou uma pergunta norteadora, e, em seguida, aplicou-se o método de análise do conteúdo de Bardin. Resultado: No decorrer da execução do projeto, foi perceptível que as intervenções tiveram rendimento satisfatório em relação aos conteúdos trabalhados, pois ocorreram inúmeros questionamentos e relatos dos usuários. Constatou-se que as práticas educativas foram muito construtivas no contexto da estimulação do LFS, pois proporcionaram a participação ativa dos indivíduos. Além disso, os relatos positivos dos usuários corroborou a percepção dos alunos quanto às ações. Justificativas como a carência de ações em educação em saúde, a falta de informação sobre o processo saúde-doença, a importância da prevenção e a troca de conhecimento foram abordadas pelos usuários. Conclusão: Por meio dos relatos dos usuários e pela experiência dos autores, conclui-se que as ações em educação em saúde desenvolvidas sempre buscando tornar os usuários protagonistas da própria saúde possibilitam a troca de saberes entre acadêmicos e comunidade, promovendo a multiplicação de conhecimento acerca dos temas abordados no projeto.
Abstract: Introduction: Social participation in the practice of health-promoting actions is one of the guidelines of the Unified Health System (SUS). From this comes Functional Health Literacy (LFS), which is understood as the individual's ability to understand, interpret and apply written or spoken information about health. In this context, the university community outreach program comes to represent a strategy that transmits information about health prevention and allows user empowerment. Objective: To report the experience of a community outreach project that works by enabling interaction between academics and primary care users in order to stimulate LFS and assess the users' views on the actions developed by students. Method: The project's interventions prioritized themes and diseases prevalent in the local population and/or feature in the Ministry of Health's national awareness calendar. At the end of the interventions, role plays were performed to simulate real life situations, where some users were invited to participate and, hence, stimulate LFS. Furthermore, the users' views on the students' participation were assessed through an interview using a guiding question followed by the application of Bardin's method of content analysis. Result: During the project, the interventions produced noticeably satisfactory results in relation to the content, as the users presented several questions and accounts of experiences. It was noteworthy how constructive the educational practices were in the context of LFS stimulation, as they provided for the active participation of individuals. In addition, the users' positive reports corroborated the students' perception of the actions. Users addressed justifications such as lack of actions in health education, lack of information about the health-disease process, the importance of prevention and exchange of knowledge. Conclusion: Through the users' accounts and the authors' experience, the conclusion can be drawn that health education actions always developed to place the user as the protagonist of their own health enable an exchange of knowledge between academics and the community, promoting the multiplication of knowledge about the topics covered in the project.
Lead (Pb) is an environmental and occupational neurotoxicant after long-term exposure. This study aimed to investigate the effects of systemic Pb exposure in rats from adolescence to adulthood, evaluating molecular, morphologic and functional aspects of hippocampus. For this, male Wistar rats were exposed to 50 mg/kg of Pb acetate or distilled water for 55 days by intragastric gavage. For the evaluation of short-term and long-term memories, object recognition and step-down inhibitory avoidance tests were performed. At the end of the behavioral tests, the animals were euthanized and the hippocampus dissected and processed to the evaluation of: Pb content levels in hippocampal parenchyma; Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels as parameters of oxidative stress and antioxidant status; global proteomic profile and neuronal degeneration by anti-NeuN immunohistochemistry analysis. Our results show the increase of Pb levels in the hippocampus of adult rats exposed from adolescence, increased MDA and GSH levels, modulation of proteins related to neural structure and physiology and reduced density of neurons, hence a poor cognitive performance on short and long-term memories. Then, the long-term exposure to Pb in this period of life may impair several biologic organizational levels of the hippocampal structure associated with functional damages.
Aging , Environmental Pollutants/toxicity , Lead/toxicity , Memory, Long-Term/drug effects , Memory, Short-Term/drug effects , Aging/drug effects , Aging/metabolism , Aging/pathology , Animals , Antioxidants/metabolism , Glutathione/metabolism , Hippocampus , Male , Malondialdehyde/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Time Factors
Resumo: Introdução: A necessidade de levar informação visando combater a Covid-19 é ainda mais urgente nas regiões em desenvolvimento, uma vez que nesses locais há carência de recursos, supervisão governamental limitada, consideráveis índices de pobreza e dificuldade de acesso à informação. Com base na realidade da Transamazônica e do Xingu e na urgente necessidade da diminuição do número de casos da Covid-19 na região, a qual depende da adesão da população às medidas preventivas, surgiu o projeto de extensão "e-COVID Xingu: Mídias Sociais e Informação no Combate à COVID-19 em Altamira, Pará". Este trabalho tem como objetivo descrever as experiências dos integrantes desse projeto durante a pandemia na região. Relato de Experiência: O projeto adotou como público-alvo a população do Xingu, em especial as comunidades indígenas e rurais. Publicações nas redes sociais levaram informações sobre medidas de prevenção, grupos de risco e isolamento social. Para alcançar as populações mais vulneráveis e que não possuem acesso à internet, uma parceria com a rádio local levou material informativo para a zona rural e comunidades indígenas afastadas. O projeto também lançou uma cartilha, em português e kayapó, com orientações de prevenção da Covid-19 para os indígenas do Médio Xingu. Discussão: Os informativos conseguiram bom alcance pelas redes sociais. Ademais, os meios de comunicação em massa, como o rádio, ainda se mostram eficazes na disseminação de informações. Com multiplataformas pode-se fazer educação em saúde inclusiva a diversos grupos sociais, seja pela internet, pelo rádio ou por materiais físicos. Conclusão: Utilizando múltiplas ferramentas de comunicação e respeitando o distanciamento social, a universidade, por meio de ação extensionista, pôde contribuir no combate à Covid-19, ao levar informações e conhecimento ao público, e atentar à necessidade de também incluir e informar populações histórica, social e economicamente vulneráveis, como indígenas e comunidade rurais do Xingu.
Abstract: Introduction: The need to provide information in the fight against COVID-19 is more urgent in developing regions, which suffer from insufficient resources, limited government supervision, high poverty rates and difficulty in accessing information. Considering the reality experienced by those living by the Transamazonian Highway and the Xingu River and the urgent need to reduce COVID-19 cases in the region, which depends on the population taking prevention measures, this community outreach project called "e-COVID Xingu: Social media and information against COVID-19 in Altamira, Pará" took shape. This article aims to describe the experiences of the project members in the initial months of the outreach project during the pandemic in the region. Experience Report: The project's audience target was the population of the Xingu region, especially indigenous communities and those living in rural areas. While posts on social media spread information about prevention, risk groups and social isolation, in order to reach the most vulnerable people, who lack an internet connection, a partnership with a local TV and radio broadcaster provided important information to these remote indigenous villages and rural communities. Moreover, an informative booklet with guidance on how to prevent infection by COVID-19 was released in both Portuguese and the Kayapo language to raise awareness and understanding among Xingu indigenous communities. Discussion: The posts on social media achieved a good reach in social media. Furthermore, mass media, like radio, remain efficient information disseminators. The use of multiple tools is one possible way to educate diverse social groups, including the use of the internet, the radio or printed materials. Conclusion: Using different communication platforms and respecting social distancing, the university, through this community outreach project, was able to contribute to the fight against COVID-19, spreading accurate and safe information and considering the need to include historically, socially and economically vulnerable population groups such as the indigenous and rural Xingu communities.
Chronic exposure to mercury chloride (HgCl2) has been shown to promote oxidative stress and cell death in the central nervous system of adult rats displaying motor and cognitive impairments. However, there are no investigations about neurochemical function after this type of exposure in rodents that may be associated with those behavioral changes already reported. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze glutamatergic and GABAergic dysfunctions in the motor cortex and hippocampus of adult rats, in a model of chronic exposure to HgCl2 in. Twenty rats were exposed to a daily dose of 0.375 mg/kg for 45 days. After this period, they were submitted to motor and cognitive functions tests and euthanized to collect the motor cortex and hippocampus for measurement of mercury (Hg) levels in the parenchyma and neurochemical assays for analysis of glutamatergic and GABAergic functions. It was observed that chronic exposure to HgCl2 promoted increase in total Hg levels in these two brain areas, with changes in glutamatergic transport, but without changes in GABAergic transport. Functionally this model of exposure caused the decrease of the spontaneous motor locomotion and in the process of learning and memory. In this way, our results provide evidences that glutamatergic neurochemical dysfunction can be pointed out as a strong causal factor of motor and cognitive deficits observed in rats exposed to this HgCl2.
Behavior, Animal/drug effects , Hippocampus/drug effects , Mercuric Chloride/toxicity , Motor Cortex/drug effects , Administration, Oral , Animals , Hippocampus/metabolism , Male , Mercuric Chloride/administration & dosage , Motor Cortex/metabolism , Rats , Rats, Wistar
Despite the vast distribution among tissues, the central nervous system (CNS) represents the main target of methylmercury (MeHg) toxicity. However, few studies have evaluated the effects of MeHg exposure on the CNS at equivalent doses to human environmental exposure. In our study, we evaluated the motor cortex, an important area of motor control, in adult rats chronically exposed to MeHg in a concentration equivalent to those found in fish-eating populations exposed to mercury (Hg). The parameters evaluated were total Hg accumulation, oxidative stress, tissue damage, and behavioral assessment in functional actions that involved this cortical region. Our results show in exposed animals a significantly greater level of Hg in the motor cortex; increase of nitrite levels and lipid peroxidation, associated with decreased antioxidant capacity against peroxyl radicals; reduction of neuronal and astrocyte density; and poor coordination and motor learning impairment. Our data showed that chronic exposure at low doses to MeHg is capable of promoting damages to the motor cortex of adult animals, with changes in oxidative biochemistry misbalance, neurodegeneration, and motor function impairment.
Methylmercury Compounds/pharmacology , Motor Cortex/drug effects , Motor Cortex/physiopathology , Motor Skills/drug effects , Nerve Degeneration/chemically induced , Nerve Degeneration/pathology , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Animals , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Male , Methylmercury Compounds/administration & dosage , Motor Cortex/pathology , Rats , Rats, Wistar
Mercury (Hg) is a highly toxic metal, which can be found in its inorganic form in the environment. This form presents lower liposolubility and lower absorption in the body. In order to elucidate the possible toxicity of inorganic Hg in the hippocampus, we investigated the potential of low doses of mercury chloride (HgCl2) to promote hippocampal dysfunction by employing a chronic exposure model. For this, 56 rats were exposed to HgCl2 (0.375 mg/kg/day) via the oral route for 45 days. After the exposure period, the animals were submitted to the cognitive test of fear memory. The hippocampus was collected for the measurement of total Hg levels, analysis of oxidative stress, and evaluation of cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and tissue injury. It was observed that chronic exposure to inorganic Hg promotes an increase in mercury levels in this region and damage to short- and long-term memory. Furthermore, we found that this exposure model provoked oxidative stress, which led to cytotoxicity and cell death by apoptosis, affecting astrocytes and neurons in the hippocampus. Our study demonstrated that inorganic Hg, even with its low liposolubility, is able to produce deleterious effects in the central nervous system, resulting in cognitive impairment and hippocampal damage when administered for a long time at low doses in rats.
Apoptosis/drug effects , Behavior, Animal/drug effects , Hippocampus/metabolism , Mercuric Chloride/toxicity , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Animals , Antioxidants/chemistry , Antioxidants/metabolism , Astrocytes/cytology , Astrocytes/drug effects , Astrocytes/metabolism , Body Weight/drug effects , Brain/drug effects , Brain/pathology , Hippocampus/chemistry , Hippocampus/drug effects , Male , Neurons/drug effects , Neurons/metabolism , Neurons/pathology , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism
Methylmercury (MeHg) is one of the most toxic species of mercury, causing several systemic damages; however, its effect on the salivary glands has rarely been explored to date. This study was aimed at analyzing the mercury deposit, oxidative stress markers, and cell viability in parotid and submandibular rat salivary glands after chronic methylmercury intoxication. Herein, forty male Wistar rats (40 days old) were used in the experiment. The animals of the experimental group were intoxicated by intragastric gavage with MeHg at a dose of 0.04 mg per kg body weight per day for 35 days, whereas the control group received only corn oil, a diluent. After the period of intoxication, the glands were obtained for evaluation of total mercury deposit, cell viability, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) and the nitrite levels. Our results indicated mercury deposits in salivary glands, with a decrease in cell viability, higher levels of MDA in both glands of intoxicated animals, and a higher concentration of nitrite only in the submandibular gland of the mercury group. Thus, the intoxication by MeHg was able to generate deposits and oxidative stress in salivary glands that resulted in a decrease in cell viability in both types of glands.
Cell Death/drug effects , Methylmercury Compounds/toxicity , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Salivary Glands/pathology , Animals , Male , Nitrites/metabolism , Oxidation-Reduction , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Salivary Glands/drug effects
BACKGROUND: The regeneration of integrity and tissue homeostasis after injury is a fundamental property and involves complex biological processes fully dynamic and interconnected. Although there are medications prescribed to accelerate the process of wound healing by reducing the exaggerated inflammatory response, comes the need to search for different compounds of Amazonian biodiversity that can contribute to the acceleration of the healing process. Among these products, the copaiba oil-resin is one of the most prominent feature in this scenario, as they have been reported its medicinal properties. METHODS: Aiming to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and healing effect of copaiba oil-resin (Copaifera reticulata Ducke) in transfixing injury of rats' tongues first proceeded up the copaiba oil-resin oral toxicity test in 5 male mice to stipulate the therapeutic dose which was established at 200 mg/kg/day. Then it was induced transfixing injury in a total of 15 Wistar rats. The animals were randomly divided into three groups based on the treatment: control group, dexamethasone group and copaiba oil-resin group. After 7 days of treatment, histological slides stained with hematoxylin and eosin was prepared. Immunohistochemistry for CD68 (macrophage marker) was performed and analyzed by the cell counter Image J. RESULTS: The acute toxicity test showed that the oil-resin copal has low toxicity. Furthermore, copaiba oil-resin therapy modulates the inflammatory response by decreasing the chronic inflammatory infiltrate, edema and specifically the number of macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate the potential of the Amazon region and showed up relevant because therapy with this extract modulates the inflammatory process.
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/administration & dosage , Fabaceae/chemistry , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Plant Oils/administration & dosage , Resins, Plant/administration & dosage , Tongue Diseases/drug therapy , Animals , Humans , Male , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Tongue Diseases/immunology , Tongue Diseases/physiopathology , Wound Healing
This study investigates morphological and biochemistry effects of binge ethanol consumption in parotid (PG) and submandibular (SG) salivary glands of rats from adolescence to adulthood. Female Wistar rats (n = 26) received ethanol at 3 g/kg/day (20% w/v) for 3 consecutive days/week from the 35th until the 62nd day of life. Animals were treated in two periods: 1 week (G1) and 4 weeks (G2), with a control (treated with distilled water) and an ethanol group to each period. In morphological analysis, morphometric and immunohistochemistry evaluation for smooth muscle actin (αSMA), cytokeratin-18 (CK-18), and vimentin (VIM) were made. Biochemical changes were analyzed by concentration of nitrites and levels of malondialdehyde (MDA). The difference between groups in each analysis was evaluated by Mann-Whitney U test or Student's t-test (p ≤ 0.05). PG showed, at one week of ethanol exposure, lower CK-18 and α-SMA expression, as well as MDA levels. After four weeks, lower CK-18 and higher MDA levels were observed in PG exposed to ethanol, in comparison to control group. SG showed lower α-SMA expression after 1 and 4 weeks of ethanol exposure as well as higher MDA levels after 1 week. Ethanol binge consumption during adolescence promotes tissue and biochemical changes with only one-week binge in acinar and myoepithelial PG cells.
Binge Drinking/complications , Ethanol/toxicity , Oxidative Stress/drug effects , Parotid Gland/drug effects , Submandibular Gland/drug effects , Underage Drinking , Actins/metabolism , Age Factors , Animals , Binge Drinking/metabolism , Binge Drinking/pathology , Biomarkers/metabolism , Blood Alcohol Content , Female , Keratin-18/metabolism , Malondialdehyde/metabolism , Models, Animal , Nitrites/metabolism , Parotid Gland/metabolism , Parotid Gland/pathology , Rats, Wistar , Submandibular Gland/metabolism , Submandibular Gland/pathology , Vimentin/metabolism
This study aims to describe and analyze morphological and physical properties of deciduous teeth of Sus domesticus. Ultrastructural analysis, mineral composition and microhardness of enamel and dentine tissues were performed on 10 skulls of S. domesticus. External anatomic characteristics and the internal anatomy of the teeth were also described. Data regarding microhardness and ultrastructural analysis were subjected to statistical tests. For ultrastructural analysis, we used the analysis of variance (ANOVA) with Tukey's post hoc (p≤0.05) test. In the analysis of microhardness, the difference between the enamel and dentine tissues was analyzed by a Student's t test. Values were expressed as mean with standard error. The results of ultrastructural analysis showed the presence of an enamel prism pattern. A dentinal tubule pattern was also observed, with a larger diameter in the pulp chamber and the cervical third, in comparison to middle and apical thirds. We observed an average microhardness of 259.2kgf/mm(2) for enamel and 55.17kgf/mm(2) for dentine. In porcine enamel and dentine, the chemical elements Ca and P showed the highest concentration. The analysis of internal anatomy revealed the presence of a simple root canal system and the occurrence of main canals in the roots. The observed features are compatible with the functional demand of these animals, following a pattern very similar to that seen in other groups of mammals, which can encourage the development of research using dental elements from the pig as a substitute for human teeth in laboratory research.
Dental Enamel/anatomy & histology , Dentin/anatomy & histology , Tooth/anatomy & histology , Animals , Calcium/analysis , Dental Enamel/chemistry , Dental Enamel/ultrastructure , Dental Pulp/anatomy & histology , Dental Pulp/chemistry , Dental Pulp/ultrastructure , Dental Pulp Cavity/anatomy & histology , Dental Pulp Cavity/chemistry , Dental Pulp Cavity/ultrastructure , Dentin/chemistry , Dentin/ultrastructure , Hardness , Male , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Phosphorus/analysis , Sus scrofa , Tooth/chemistry , Tooth/ultrastructure
Though there are literature indicating the bone loss due to alcohol consumption, studies on the association between ethanol consumption and periodontal breakdown in animals are either scarce or have provided conflicting results. Here, we investigated the effects of chronic alcohol exposure from adolescence to adulthood on the alveolar bone in rats. Wistar rats were exposed to ethanol (6.5 g/kg/day) in a solution of 22.5% (w/v) or distilled water (control) by gavage from 35 days of age (adolescent) until 90 days (adulthood). Evaluation of the bone loss was performed using scanning electronic microscopy, in which the distances between the cement-enamel junction and the alveolar bone crest from the palatal side of the first molar mandibular were measured. The measurements obtained were tabulated and analyzed using Student's t-test. Alcohol-treated group revealed greater bone loss in comparison to the control group. These findings indicate that heavy chronic alcohol exposure from adolescent to adulthood can induce alveolar bone loss in rats associated to absence of periodontitis.
Alveolar Bone Loss/chemically induced , Alveolar Process/drug effects , Ethanol/toxicity , Mandibular Diseases/chemically induced , Age Factors , Alveolar Bone Loss/diagnosis , Alveolar Process/pathology , Alveolar Process/ultrastructure , Analysis of Variance , Animals , Body Weight/drug effects , Central Nervous System Depressants/administration & dosage , Central Nervous System Depressants/toxicity , Ethanol/administration & dosage , Female , Mandibular Diseases/diagnosis , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Time Factors
Alcoholism in humans is a chronic and progressive disease, characterized by loss of ethanol consumption control. Previous studies have reported that prolonged exposure to ethanol was responsible for alterations in glandular tissues of human and rodents. However, the interrelationship between ethanol and the glandular system is still the subject of numerous investigations, including the possible resistance of the submandibular gland (SG). In the present study, we investigated whether chronic ethanol exposure during adolescence may affect the parotid gland (PG) and SG in female rats. Female rats (n=16) were treated with distilled water or ethanol (dose of 6.5 g/kg/day, 22.5% w/v) through gavage for 55 days. Glands were collected, weighed and submitted to histological processing. Morphometric analysis was assessed by parenchymal and stromal area measurements. Smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), cytokeratin-19 (CK19) and apoptotic caspase-3 (CAS) were measured using ImageJ® software. Chronic ethanol administration did not alter the body weight of rats after treatment, although it increased glandular weight (p<0.001), reduced the parenchyma area (p<0.001) and decreased CK19 and α-SMA immunostainning in the PG. Besides, ethanol induced CK19 and CAS overexpression, and the occurrence of duct-like structures in SG. These results suggest that ethanol induces histological and morphometric changes in salivary glands of female rats intoxicated with ethanol during adolescence. Furthermore, the mechanism underlying these alterations needs to be investigated but may be not related to the inflammatory process.
Alcoholism/complications , Salivary Glands/drug effects , Salivary Glands/pathology , Animals , Atrophy , Disease Models, Animal , Ethanol/toxicity , Female , Image Processing, Computer-Assisted , Immunohistochemistry , Rats , Rats, Wistar
O objetivo desse trabalho foi contribuir com o estudo anatômico, morfométrico, ultraestrutural e propriedades físicas dos dentes permanentes do primata Sapajus apella. Para tal, foram utilizados 10 animais adultos e machos. Os dentes foram avaliados quanto ao seu comprimento e quanto à anatomia radicular externa e interna considerando número de raízes e canais, forma e direção radicular e forma do canal, assim como análise da densidade e diâmetro tubular do canal radicular, composição e microdureza dentinária. A anatomia radicular desse primata apresentou especificidades, como o número de raízes do segundo pré-molar superior e a presença do terceiro pré-molar. Quanto à densidade e o diâmetro dos túbulos dentinários, observou-se uma diminuição do número e diâmetro de túbulos ao longo do canal radicular, havendo diferença estatisticamente significante ao se comparar o terço apical com as regiões cervical e média, padrão de densidade e tamanho semelhantes a dentes humanos. Semelhanças também foram encontradas com dentes humanos quando comparados os valores de microdureza e proporção de elementos químicos encontrados na dentina radicular...
This paper aimed the anatomical study including morphometric, ultrastructural and physical properties of permanent teeth of Sapajus apella primate. Ten adult male monkeys were studied. The teeth were evaluated for their length, root anatomy (external and internal considering the number of roots and canals), direction and shape of the root canal, density and diameter of the tubular root canal, dentin microhardness, and composition. The root anatomy showed specificity regarding the number of roots of the second premolar and the presence of the third premolar. We observed a decrease in the number and diameter of dentinal tubules along the root canal, a statistically significant difference when compared with the apical and cervical regions. Similarities with human teeth were found in regard to microhardness values and proportion of chemical elements in the root dentin...
Animals , Cebus/anatomy & histology , Dentition, Permanent , Tooth/anatomy & histology , Tooth/ultrastructure , Biometry
Binge drinking is common among adolescents, and this type of ethanol exposure may lead to long-term nervous system damage. In the current study, we evaluated motor performance and tissue alterations in the cerebral cortex of rats subjected to intermittent intoxication with ethanol from adolescence to adulthood. Adolescent male Wistar rats (35 days old) were treated with distilled water or ethanol (6.5 g/kg/day, 22.5% w/v) during 55 days by gavage to complete 90 days of age. The open field, inclined plane and the rotarod tests were used to assess the spontaneous locomotor activity and motor coordination performance in adult animals. Following completion of behavioral tests, half of animals were submitted to immunohistochemical evaluation of NeuN (marker of neuronal bodies), GFAP (a marker of astrocytes) and Iba1 (microglia marker) in the cerebral cortex while the other half of the animals were subjected to analysis of oxidative stress markers by biochemical assays. Chronic ethanol intoxication in rats from adolescence to adulthood induced significant motor deficits including impaired spontaneous locomotion, coordination and muscle strength. These behavioral impairments were accompanied by marked changes in all cellular populations evaluated as well as increased levels of nitrite and lipid peroxidation in the cerebral cortex. These findings indicate that continuous ethanol intoxication from adolescence to adulthood is able to provide neurobehavioral and neurodegenerative damage to cerebral cortex.
Cerebral Cortex/drug effects , Cerebral Cortex/pathology , Ethanol/administration & dosage , Oxidative Stress , Physical Exertion/drug effects , Animals , Astrocytes/drug effects , Astrocytes/metabolism , Body Weight/drug effects , Cell Count , Cerebral Cortex/metabolism , Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects , Male , Microglia/drug effects , Microglia/metabolism , Neurons/drug effects , Neurons/metabolism , Nitrites/metabolism , Psychomotor Performance/drug effects , Rats
Several studies have demonstrated that chewing helps to maintain cognitive functions in brain regions including the hippocampus, a central nervous system (CNS) region vital for memory and learning. Epidemiological studies suggest that masticatory deficiency is associated with development of dementia, which is related to spatial memory deficits especially in older animals. The purpose of this paper is to review recent work on the effects of masticatory impairment on cognitive functions both in experimental animals and humans. We show that several mechanisms may be involved in the cognitive deficits associated with masticatory deficiency. The epidemiological data suggest a positive correlation between masticatory deficit and Alzheimer's disease. It may be concluded that chewing has important implications for the mechanisms underlying certain cognitive abilities.
Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology , Cognition Disorders/physiopathology , Hippocampus/physiopathology , Mastication , Alzheimer Disease/epidemiology , Animals , Cognition Disorders/epidemiology , Humans , Learning/physiology , Memory/physiology , Risk Factors
