Open AccessEnvironmental noise exposure modifies astrocyte morphology in hippocampus of young male rats
Author(s) -
Odelie Huet-Bello,
Yaveth Ruvalcaba-Delgadillo,
Alfredo FeriaVelasco,
Rocío E. González-Castañeda,
Joaquı́n Garcı́a-Estrada,
Miguel Ángel Macías-Islas,
Fernando Jáuregui-Huerta,
Sonia Luquı́n
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
noise and health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.344
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1998-4030
pISSN - 1463-1741
DOI - 10.4103/nah.nah_97_16
Subject(s) - hippocampus , astrocyte , morphology (biology) , neuroscience , noise (video) , biology , chemistry , zoology , central nervous system , computer science , artificial intelligence , image (mathematics)
Background: Chronic exposure to noise induces changes on the central nervous system of exposed animals. Those changes affect not only the auditory system but also other structures indirectly related to audition. The hippocampus of young animals represents a potential target for these effects because of its essential role in individuals’ adaptation to environmental challenges. Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate hippocampus vulnerability, assessing astrocytic morphology in an experimental model of environmental noise (EN) applied to rats in pre-pubescent stage. Materials and Methods: Weaned Wistar male rats were subjected to EN adapted to the rats’ audiogram for 15 days, 24 h daily. Once completed, plasmatic corticosterone (CORT) concentration was quantified, and immunohistochemistry for glial fibrillary acidic protein was taken in hippocampal DG, CA3, and CA1 subareas. Immunopositive cells and astrocyte arborizations were counted and compared between groups. Results: The rats subjected to noise exhibited enlarged length of astrocytes arborizations in all hippocampal subareas. Those changes were accompanied by a marked rise in serum CORT levels. Conclusions: These findings confirm hippocampal vulnerability to EN and suggest that glial cells may play an important role in the adaptation of developing the participants to noise exposure