Gangliosides attenuate stress-induced changes on body weight, motor activity and on the behavioral response to 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine.
Brain research bulletin – January 01, 1996
Source: PubMed
Summary
Ganglioside treatment significantly impacts stress adaptation in rats. In a study with 40 rats, those receiving gangliosides (30 mg/kg) before three consecutive days of stress showed enhanced motor activity and recovery of body weight, unlike saline-treated counterparts. While single or multiple stress sessions did not alter behavioral responses to the drug 5-MeODMT, the combination of gangliosides and prolonged stress increased forepaw treading and hindlimb abduction. These results indicate that gangliosides may facilitate adaptive changes in response to stress, potentially improving resilience.
Abstract
The major goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of gangliosides (GANG) treatment on the onset of adaptive changes and the sequelae induced by stress exposure. With this purpose, the behavioral response to 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeODMT, 5 mg/kg, IP) and motor activity were evaluated in rats previously submitted either to a single restraint session (2 h) or to a daily restraint event for 3 consecutive days, combined or not to GANG administration (30 mg/kg IP). GANG was always injected 2 h before stress exposure. In addition, differences in body weights were recorded throughout the experiments. A similar behavioral response after 5-MeODMT was observed between saline (SAL) and GANG unstressed rats. Exposure to one or three restraint sessions did not modify the behavioral response to 5-MeODMT, whereas the association of GANG and stress during 3 consecutive days enhanced forepaw treading and hindlimb abduction. SAL-treated animals submitted to a single or to three stressful stimuli showed reduced locomotion and rearing. The combination of GANG and stress for 3 days, but not after a unique association, reversed the decrease on motor activity induced by the aversive experience. The decrease of body weights produced by one or three stress sessions was recovered only in animals treated with GANG and stress for 3 days. These findings suggest that GANG may accelerate the onset of adaptive changes on 5-HT1 sites and attenuate certain sequelae induced by previous stress experience.