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Journal of Applied Animal Welfare... 2022Animal welfare is critical to buffer stress in captive animals and to ensure the reliability of data from studies. The most usual environmental enrichment technique (EE)...
Animal welfare is critical to buffer stress in captive animals and to ensure the reliability of data from studies. The most usual environmental enrichment technique (EE) for social non-human primates is the social enrichment. However, some experimental protocols require keeping individuals isolated, thus demanding other types of EE. We tested in six adult females, single housed for experimental purpose, the stress buffering efficacy of a structural enrichment protocol (SEP) and SEP in combination with a foraging enrichment (FSEP) using fecal cortisol and behaviors to infer stress levels. Both types of EE improved welfare in different ways, while cortisol levels decreased with both EE as compared to the baseline, autogrooming, and piloerection increased after FSEP probably due to the new foods. Therefore, these findings support alternative practices of EE when social animals are living in isolation and reinforce the positive role of structural and food enrichment for decreasing stress markers. It also encourages studies on welfare with females, since its use as an animal model has increased.
Topics: Animal Welfare; Animals; Callithrix; Female; Hydrocortisone; Reproducibility of Results; Social Isolation
PubMed: 34470552
DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2021.1968863 -
Frontiers in Neurology 2022Late-onset epilepsy (LOE) has recently become a topic of intense research. Besides stroke, tumors, and dementia, autoimmune encephalitis (AE) has emerged as another...
INTRODUCTION
Late-onset epilepsy (LOE) has recently become a topic of intense research. Besides stroke, tumors, and dementia, autoimmune encephalitis (AE) has emerged as another possible cause of recurrent seizures in the elderly, and may account for a proportion of cases of LOE of unknown origin (LOEUO). This 24-h ambulatory electroencephalography (AEEG)-based study compared patients with LOEUO and AE to identify features suggestive of immune-mediated seizures in the elderly.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed 232 AEEG examinations performed in patients over 55 years with ≥6-month follow-up, and selected 21 subjects with AE and 25 subjects with LOEUO. Clinical charts and AEEG recordings were carefully analyzed.
RESULTS
Twenty-five patients with LOEUO (12 women, mean age at onset 67.9 years) and 21 AE subjects (8 women, mean age at onset 65.7 years) were enrolled. High-frequency seizures were reported in 20/21 AE and 7/25 LOEUO cases ( < 0.00001). Focal aware seizures were more common in AE (14/21 vs. 6/25, = 0.00058), whereas "isolated" focal-to-bilateral tonic-clonic seizures occurred in 5/25 patients with LOEUO only ( = 0.053). AE subjects reported ictal autonomic manifestations more frequently ( = 0.0033). Three-hundred-seventy and 24 seizures were recorded in 13/21 patients with AE and 3/25 patients with LOEUO, respectively ( = 0.0006). Interictal epileptiform discharges were observed in 70% of both groups, but their sleep activation was more common in AE ( = 0.06).
CONCLUSION
Our study shows that high-frequency focal seizures with autonomic manifestations should raise the suspicion of AE in the elderly with new-onset seizures. It also highlights the relevant contribution of AEEG, which might reduce the diagnostic delay and provide useful clues to recognize AE.
PubMed: 36034285
DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2022.924859 -
Psychophysiology Dec 2020Situations involving increased closeness or exceptional kindness are often labeled as moving or touching and individuals often report bodily symptoms, including tears,...
Situations involving increased closeness or exceptional kindness are often labeled as moving or touching and individuals often report bodily symptoms, including tears, goosebumps, and warmth in the body. Recently, the kama muta framework has been proposed as a cross-cultural conceptualization of these experiences. Prior research on kama muta has mostly relied on subjective reports. Thus, our main goal of the present project was to examine the pattern of physiological responses to kama muta inducing videos and compare it to the patterns for the similar, though distinct emotions of sadness and awe. One hundred forty-four Portuguese and Norwegian participants were individually exposed to all three emotion conditions. Several psychophysiological indexes of the autonomic nervous system were collected continuously during exposure, including cardiovascular, respiratory, and electrodermal activity, facial EMG, skin temperature, as well as piloerection and lachrymation using cameras. Overall, the results partly replicated previous findings on being moved experiences and self-report studies. Strong self-reported experiences of kama muta were associated with increased phasic skin conductance, skin temperature, piloerection, and zygomaticus activity, while they were associated with reduced heart rate, respiration rate, and tonic skin conductance. The physiological profile of kama muta was successfully distinguished from sadness and awe, partly corroborating self-report evidence. We obtained no clear evidence of a kama muta association with the occurrence of lachrymation or heart rate variability. Our findings provide a systematic overview of psychophysiological response to experiences of kama muta, and help to inform future research on this emotion and positive emotions in general.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Autonomic Nervous System; Emotions; Female; Humans; Love; Male; Norway; Portugal; Social Perception; Young Adult
PubMed: 32786039
DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13662 -
Cell Aug 2020In the skin, sympathetic nerves, arrector pili muscles, and hair follicles form a tri-lineage unit to cause piloerection or goosebumps. In this issue of Cell, Schwartz...
In the skin, sympathetic nerves, arrector pili muscles, and hair follicles form a tri-lineage unit to cause piloerection or goosebumps. In this issue of Cell, Schwartz et al. report that, beyond goosebumps, muscle-anchored nerves form "synapse-like" connections with hair follicle stem cells to promote hair regeneration in response to cold.
Topics: Hair; Hair Follicle; Muscle, Smooth; Piloerection; Stem Cells
PubMed: 32763185
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.07.004 -
Scientific Reports Aug 2021Here, we provide unique photo documentation and observational evidence of rescue behaviour described for the first time in wild boar. Rescue behaviour represents an...
Here, we provide unique photo documentation and observational evidence of rescue behaviour described for the first time in wild boar. Rescue behaviour represents an extreme form of prosocial behaviour that has so far only been demonstrated in a few species. It refers to a situation when one individual acts to help another individual that finds itself in a dangerous or stressful situation and it is considered by some authors as a complex form of empathy. We documented a case in which an adult female wild boar manipulated wooden logs securing the door mechanism of a cage trap and released two entrapped young wild boars. The whole rescue was fast and particular behaviours were complex and precisely targeted, suggesting profound prosocial tendencies and exceptional problem-solving capacities in wild boar. The rescue behaviour might have been motivated by empathy because the rescuer female exhibited piloerection, a sign of distress, indicating an empathetic emotional state matching or understanding the victims. We discuss this rescue behaviour in the light of possible underlying motivators, including empathy, learning and social facilitation.
Topics: Animals; Behavior, Animal; Female; Restraint, Physical; Social Behavior; Spatial Behavior; Swine
PubMed: 34376774
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95682-4 -
Neurological Sciences : Official... Jul 2020Cutaneous autonomic small nerve fibers encompass unmyelinated C-fibers and thinly myelinated Aδ-fibers, which innervate dermal vessels (vasomotor fibers), sweat glands... (Review)
Review
Cutaneous autonomic small nerve fibers encompass unmyelinated C-fibers and thinly myelinated Aδ-fibers, which innervate dermal vessels (vasomotor fibers), sweat glands (sudomotor fibers), and hair follicles (pilomotor fibers). Analysis of their integrity can capture early pathology in autonomic neuropathies such as diabetic autonomic neuropathy or peripheral nerve inflammation due to infectious and autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, intraneural deposition of alpha-synuclein in synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease can lead to small fiber damage. Research indicated that detection and quantitative analysis of small fiber pathology might facilitate early diagnosis and initiation of treatment. While autonomic neuropathies show substantial etiopathogenetic heterogeneity, they have in common impaired functional integrity of small nerve fibers. This impairment can be evaluated by quantitative analysis of axonal responses to iontophoretic application of adrenergic or cholinergic agonists to the skin. The axon-reflex can be elicited in cholinergic sudomotor fibers to induce sweating and in cholinergic vasomotor fibers to induce vasodilation. Currently, only few techniques are available to quantify axon-reflex responses, the majority of which is limited by technical demands or lack of validated analysis protocols. Function of vasomotor small fibers can be analyzed using laser Doppler flowmetry, laser Doppler imaging, and laser speckle contrast imaging. Sudomotor function can be assessed using quantitative sudomotor axon-reflex test, silicone imprints, and quantitative direct and indirect testing of sudomotor function. More recent advancements include analysis of piloerection (goose bumps) following stimulation of adrenergic small fibers using pilomotor axon-reflex test. We provide a review of the current literature on axon-reflex tests in cutaneous autonomic small fibers.
Topics: Axons; Humans; Nerve Fibers; Reflex; Skin; Sweating
PubMed: 32125538
DOI: 10.1007/s10072-020-04293-w -
Evidence-based Complementary and... 2022This study investigated the toxicological implications of a commercial polyherbal formulation, KWAPF01. Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomized into six groups of four...
This study investigated the toxicological implications of a commercial polyherbal formulation, KWAPF01. Twenty-four Wistar rats were randomized into six groups of four animals per group. The animals in Group 1 were administered placebo and designated as control, while the rats in Groups 2 to 6 were administered 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500, and 3000 mg/kg bodyweight single oral dose of KWAPF01, respectively, and subsequently monitored for gross morphological and behavioural changes for 72 h. Piloerection, reduced motility, and tremor were observed in experimental groups, and the median lethal dose (LD) of the extract was 2225.94 mg/kg bodyweight. The 11 compounds identified through HPLC analysis of the extract were docked against acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and the docking scores ranged from -5.3 to -10.8 kcal/mol, with catechol (-5.3 kcal/mol) and berberine (-10.8 kcal/mol) having the highest and lowest binding energies, respectively. Judging by the results, it could be inferred that some of the constituents of KWAPF01 have a direct impact on the nervous system and this is possibly elicited via the cholinergic system as it contains a nicotinic acetylcholine receptors agonist and potential inhibitors of AChE. Therefore, the use of KWAPF01 needs to be cautiously guided.
PubMed: 35873645
DOI: 10.1155/2022/4388941 -
Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy of a Long-lasting, Highly Concentrated Buprenorphine Solution in Mice.Journal of the American Association For... Jan 2021Buprenorphine is a commonly used opioid for mitigating pain in laboratory mice after surgical procedures; however, the dosing interval necessary for standard...
Buprenorphine is a commonly used opioid for mitigating pain in laboratory mice after surgical procedures; however, the dosing interval necessary for standard buprenorphine may require treatment every 4 to 6 h to maintain an adequate plane of analgesia. An alternative formulation that provides prolonged plasma concentration with long-lasting effects would be beneficial in achieving steady-state analgesia. We evaluated a long-lasting and highly concentrated formulation of buprenorphine (Bup-LHC) in mice. Pharmacokinetic analysis was performed to assess plasma concentrations in male C57BL/6J (B6) and female CD1 mice after subcutaneous injection of 0.9 mg/kg. The Bup-LHC formulation provided plasma drug levels that exceeded the therapeutic level for at least 12 h in male B6 mice and was below therapeutic levels by 8 h in female CD1 mice. An experimental laparotomy model was used to assess analgesic efficacy. Female CD1 mice were treated with either Bup-LHC (0.9 mg/kg) or saline at 1 h before undergoing an ovariectomy via a ventral laparotomy. At 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after surgery, pain was assessed based on the following behaviors: orbital tightness, grooming, wound licking, rearing, arched posture, ataxia, piloerection, nest building, and general activity. At 3 and 6 h after surgery, Bup-LHC-treated mice had significantly less wound licking and orbital tightness and considerably higher activity levels than did saline-treated mice. At 12 h, wound licking, orbital tightness and activity in Bup-LHC-treated mice were no longer significantly different from those of saline-treated mice. The results of this study suggest that Bup-LHC at 0.9 mg/kg provides sufficient plasma concentrations for analgesia in mice for 6 to 12 h after administration, as demonstrated behaviorally for at least 6 h after surgery.
Topics: Analgesics, Opioid; Animals; Buprenorphine; Female; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Pain; Pain Measurement
PubMed: 32993847
DOI: 10.30802/AALAS-JAALAS-20-000049 -
Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy Mar 2021Epidemiological studies of the COVID-19 patients have suggested the male bias in outcomes of lung illness. To experimentally demonstrate the epidemiological results, we...
Epidemiological studies of the COVID-19 patients have suggested the male bias in outcomes of lung illness. To experimentally demonstrate the epidemiological results, we performed animal studies to infect male and female Syrian hamsters with SARS-CoV-2. Remarkably, high viral titer in nasal washings was detectable in male hamsters who presented symptoms of weight loss, weakness, piloerection, hunched back and abdominal respiration, as well as severe pneumonia, pulmonary edema, consolidation, and fibrosis. In contrast with the males, the female hamsters showed much lower shedding viral titers, moderate symptoms, and relatively mild lung pathogenesis. The obvious differences in the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and severity of lung pathogenesis between male and female hamsters provided experimental evidence that SARS-CoV-2 infection and the severity of COVID-19 are associated with gender.
Topics: Animals; COVID-19; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Susceptibility; Female; Male; Mesocricetus; SARS-CoV-2; Sex Characteristics
PubMed: 33790236
DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00552-0 -
Environmental Science and Pollution... Mar 2022The RhoA gene showed an important genotypic association with nicotine dependence and smoking initiation. The current study aims to investigate the effect of the Rho...
The RhoA gene showed an important genotypic association with nicotine dependence and smoking initiation. The current study aims to investigate the effect of the Rho GTPase inhibitor ML141 in the progression of nicotine dependence in a mice model of precipitated nicotine withdrawal syndrome by mecamylamine.The experimental procedure involved administration of 2.5 mg/kg nicotine dissolved in normal saline subcutaneously (s.c) four times a day consecutively for 7 days and last single dose in the morning on 8 day. ML-141 was dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and was administered daily with nicotine as corrective treatment at a dose of 1,5 and 10 mg/kg (p < 0.05). An injection of 3 mg/kg of mecamylamine intraperitoneal (ip) was given an hour later than the last nicotine dose on the day 8 to precipitate withdrawal of nicotine and withdrawal severity was assessed by measuring hyperalgesia, piloerection, jumping frequency, tremors, and withdrawal severity score (WSS). Various behavioural changes such as hyperalgesia, piloerection, jumping frequency, and tremors were monitored and WSS was calculated. ML-141 a selective Rho GTPase inhibitor was found to show dose-dependent effect on all these parameters. Inhibition of Rho GTPase was found to reduce the severity of withdrawal syndrome; therefore, it can be concluded that Rho GTPase would serve as a suitable biological target by regulating the reward system in brain and could be used as new target for drug discovery.
Topics: Animals; Mecamylamine; Mice; Nicotine; Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; Tobacco Use Disorder; rho GTP-Binding Proteins
PubMed: 34665416
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17059-4