Long-Term Social Isolation Reduces Expression of the BDNF Precursor and Prolyl Endopeptidase in the Rat Brain

Abstract Early-life stress is a risk factor for the development of behavioral and cognitive disorders in humans animals. Such stressful situations include social isolation early postnatal ontogenesis. Behavioral impairments associated with neuroplastic changes brain structures. We have found that after ten weeks isolation, male Wistar rats show abnormalities deficit, accompanied by an increase relative expression gene encoding serine protease prolyl endopeptidase (PREP, EC 3.4.21.26) frontal cortex. The present study aimed to assess synaptophysin (SYP), brain-derived neurotrophic precursor (proBDNF), PREP using Western blot structures – hippocampus, cortex, striatum subjected prolonged compared group-housed Twenty were used this (10 males 10 females). Experimental animals (5 5 females) kept one per cage nine months, starting from age month. Ten-month-old socially isolated showed memory deficit passive avoidance paradigm Morris Water Maze reactivity novelty reduction. monoclonal antibodies analysis SYP, proBDNF, rat Social caused proBDNF reduction cortex females males. These data suppose factors are involved mechanisms observed life onset.