Inmunological and behavioral modulation of Diazepam in a chronic model of Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

FABIO MARÍA CAROLINA; ZALOSNIK MARÍA INÉS; DEGANO ALICIA L.; ROTH, GERMAN A.

Mar del Plata (Buenos Aires)

Congreso; XXXII Congreso Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación en Neurociencia (SAN).; 2017

SAN

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease that mimics many of the clinical and pathological features of multiple sclerosis. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of diazepam on clinical signs and its neurobehavioral consequences in a monophasic model of the disease in mice. Female mice were immunized with MOG35-55 peptide or adjuvant alone and pertussis toxin. At first symptom, animals were injected with diazepam or saline alone every 48 hs. After recovery of clinical signs, animals went through a behavioral test battery in order to identify motor skills, anxiety, and cognitive deficits. mRNA expression of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and BDNF were measured in hippocampus and spinal cord using Real-Time PCR. We found that 2 mg/kg diazepam reversed motor signs of the disease without affecting locomotor activity or anxiety. These results correlated with no differences of inflammatory cytokines at the spinal cord. However, EAE animals showed cognitive deficits in the T-maze test. Diazepam did not improve this symptom but EAE animals treated with this drug displayed a significant attenuation of inflammatory cytokines at hippoccampus. Future experiments are needed in order to understand the mechanisms by cognitive deficits persist in EAE animals.