Int Neurourol J.  2013 Sep;17(3):114-120.

Impact of Several Types of Stresses on Short-term Memory and Apoptosis in the Hippocampus of Rats

• Kim BK
• Ko IG
• Kim SE
• Kim CJ
• Yoon JS
• Baik HH
• Jin BK
• Lee CY
• Baek SB
• Shin MS

Abstract

PURPOSE
Stress has a deteriorating effect on hippocampal function. It also contributes to symptom exacerbation in many disease states, including overactive bladder and interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome. We investigated the effects of various types of stresses (restraint, noise, and cold) on short-term memory and apoptosis in relation with corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) expression.
METHODS
Rats in the restraint stress group were restrained in a transparent Plexiglas cylinder for 60 minutes twice daily. Rats in the noise stress group were exposed to the 120 dB supersonic machine sound for 60 minutes twice daily. Rats in the cold stress group were placed in a cold chamber at 4degrees C for 60 minutes twice daily. Each stress was applied for 10 days. A step-down avoidance test for short-term memory, immunohistochemistry for caspase-3 expression, and western blot analysis for Bax and Bcl-2 expressions were conducted.
RESULTS
Latency time was decreased and CRF expression in the hippocampal dentate gyrus and hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus were increased in all of the stress groups. The number of caspase-3-positive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus was increased and the expressions of Bax and Bcl2 in the hippocampus were decreased in all of the stress groups.
CONCLUSIONS
All of the stress groups experienced short-term memory impairment induced by apoptosis in the hippocampus. The present results suggest the possibility that these stresses affecting the impairment of short-term memory may also induce functional lower urinary tract disorders.

Keyword

Restrain stress; Noise stress; Cold stress; Short-term memory; Apoptosis

MeSH Terms

Animals
Apoptosis
Blotting, Western
Caspase 3
Cold Temperature
Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone
Dentate Gyrus
Hippocampus
Immunohistochemistry
Memory, Short-Term
Noise
Paraventricular Hypothalamic Nucleus
Polymethyl Methacrylate
Rats
Urinary Bladder, Overactive
Urinary Tract
Caspase 3
Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone
Polymethyl Methacrylate