Abstract
N-acetyl-L-aspartyl-L-glutamate (NAAG) acts as an agonist of metabotropic glutamate receptors group II (mGluR II). The goal of the study was to investigate if intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusion of NAAG (on postnatal day 12), leading to an neonatal (excitotoxic) brain lesion, can influence the psychosis-like behavior induced by dizocilpine (MK-801) in young adult rats (on postnatal day 50).
Rat behavior was assessed by an open field test. Furthemore, the effect of neonatal brain damage on deficits in prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle response was investigated after the injection of MK-801.
Obtained data revealed important changes in the rat behavior induced by injected MK-801 both in the open field test and in PPI. The neonatal NAAG-iduced brain damage did not significantly change the adaptive behavior of young adults in the open field test and senzorimotor gating ascertained as PPI of acoustic startle.
However, the neonatal infusion of NAAG decreased the deficits in PPI induced by administered MK-801 in early adulthood but did not alter significantly adaptive behavior in the open field test. Possible mechanisms of the ,protective, action of neonatal brain lesion induced by NAAG on the sensorimotor information processing will be discussed