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Investigating the effect of Toxoplasma gondii infection on spatial learning and memory in rats
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Samira Choopani   , Bahereh Kian Kiani , Shayan Aliaakbari , Jalal Babaie , Majid Golkar , Hamid Gholami pourbadie , Mohammad Sayyah |
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Abstract: (380 Views) |
Introduction: Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic disease caused by the obligate intracellular protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. Toxoplasma gondii is causing bizarre changes in the host’s mind, including losing inherent fear of life-threatening situations. In this study, we examined spatial memory in rats with chronic toxoplasma infection.
Material and Methods: Rats were infected with an intraperitoneal injection of 500 cysts in 0.2 ml phosphate buffer solution. A sham group was considered in the experimental groups, where rats received PBS instead of cysts. Four and eight weeks after incubation, the spatial memories of rats were assessed by a Morris water maze. Briefly, animals received a block of four trials during 4 daily sessions: 3 days with the invisible platform to test spatial learning and the 4th-day probe test in which no platform was placed under the water. The path of each rat on each trial was automatically recorded by a computerized system and then analyzed by computing several parameters, for example, latency to find the platform as well as the traveled distance.
Results: Our results show that rats with four and eight weeks infection needed more time to escape and find the hidden platform than the control group on the first day of the task acquisition. Testing memory function indicated that T. gondii decreased the time spent in the target quadrant and increased mean distance from the platform position in the probe test so that the changes reached a significant level at eight weeks after infection compared to the control group.
Conclusion: In the present study, T. gondii-infected rats showed decelerated acquisition of the spatial task at both four and eight weeks after infection.
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| Keywords: Toxoplasma gondii, spatial learning and memory, Morris water maze |
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Full-Text [PDF 315 kb]
(64 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
General
Received: 2023/12/13 | Accepted: 2023/08/23 | Published: 2023/08/23
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