Comparative studies on learning and memory of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis by Morris water maze

• Main Authors: Ren Yu Tang, 湯仁瑜
• Other Authors: L. C. Wang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2016
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/u7t8n9

碩士 === 長庚大學 === 生物醫學研究所 === 104 === The rat lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis, a snail-transmitted zoonotic nematode, has been recognized as an important etiologic agent of human eosinophilic meningitis and/or eosinophilic meningoencephalitis. Human and mice are non-permissive accidental hosts of this neuroparasite. There is no effective curative treatment for angiostrongyliasis. In the present study, we observed and compared the spatial learning and memory, depressive behaviors between BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice infected with A. cantonensis by Morris water maze and forced swim test. Our results showed that the recovery rates of larvae obtained from host brains were decreased significantly in BALB/c mice. More serious bodyweight loss and higher mortality were found in BALB/c mice, and this phenomenon could be alleviated after swimming. BALB/c mice appeard depression-like behavior by forced swim test. Results from Morris water maze test indicated that ability of spatial learning and memory of both inbred strain mice were decreased in the second and third week after infection, especially in BALB/c mice. Therefore, BALB/c mice have more severe symptoms in A. cantonensis infection, and the degradation of spatial learning and memory ability is more significant.