Enriched environment contributes to recovery of visual acuity and increases perineuronal nets in monocular-deprived animals
Psychol. neurosci. (Impr.)
; 4(1): 49-56, Jan.-June 2011. graf, tab
Artigo
em Inglês
| LILACS
| ID: lil-604533
Biblioteca responsável:
BR85.1
ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study was to analyze the influence of enriched environment on the distribution of perineuronal nets (PNNs) using a stereogically based unbiased protocol and visual acuity in adult Swiss albino mice that underwent monocular deprivation during the critical period of postnatal development. Eight female Swiss albino mice were monocular deprived on postnatal day 10 and divided into two groups at weaning standard environment (SE group, n = 4) and enriched environment (EE group, n = 4). After 3 months, all of the mice were subjected to grating visual acuity tests, sacrificed, and perfused with aldehyde fixative. The brains were removed and cut at 70 µm thickness in a vibratome and processed for lectin histochemical staining with Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA). Architectonic limits of area 17 were conspicuously defined by WFA histochemical staining, and the optical fractionator stereological method was applied to estimate the total number of PNNs in the supragranular, granular, and infragranular layers. All groups were compared using Student's t-test at a 95 percent confidence level. Comparative analysis of the average PNN estimations revealed that the EE group had higher PNNs in the supragranular layer (2726.33 ± 405.416, mean ± standard deviation) compared with the SE group (1543.535 ± 260.686; Student's t-test, p = .0495). No differences were found in the other layers. Visual acuity was significantly lower in the SE group (0.55 cycles/degree) than in the EE group (1.06 cycles/degree). Our results suggest that the integrity of the specialized extracellular matrix PNNs of the supragranular layer may be essential for normal visual acuity development.
Texto completo:
Disponível
Coleções:
Bases de dados internacionais
Base de dados:
LILACS
Assunto principal:
Córtex Visual
/
Visão Monocular
/
Acuidade Visual
/
Meio Ambiente
Limite:
Animais
Idioma:
Inglês
Revista:
Psychol. neurosci. (Impr.)
Assunto da revista:
Neurologia
/
Psicologia
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Artigo
País de afiliação:
Brasil
Instituição/País de afiliação:
Universidade Federal do Pará/BR