NMDA receptor antagonist prevents cell death in the hippocampal dentate gyrus induced by hyponatremia accompanying adrenal insufficiency in rats.

NMDA receptor antagonist prevents cell death in the hippocampal dentate gyrus induced by hyponatremia accompanying adrenal insufficiency in rats. Exp Neurol. 2016 Aug 12; Authors: Izumida H, Takagi H, Fujisawa H, Iwata N, Nakashima K, Takeuchi S, Iwama S, Namba T, Komatu Y, Kaibuchi K, Oiso Y, Arima H, Sugimura Y Abstract Selective apoptosis of granule cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) of rats with bilateral adrenalectomy (ADX) and in patients who died of adrenal insufficiency has been reported. Although adrenal insufficiency is a common disease and is usually associated with hyponatremia, its effect on the central nervous system and in apoptosis in the hippocampus remain to be elucidated. Using rat models to represent clinical hyponatremia accompanying adrenal insufficiency, we show that reduced serum [Na(+)] was associated with selective apoptosis in the DG. Nine days after ADX, apoptotic cells were observed in the DG of rats whose serum [Na(+)] was <125mEq/L (moderate hyponatremia), but rarely in those whose serum [Na(+)] was ≥125mEq/L or in normonatremic rats. Although all hyponatremic ADX rats survived following treatment with corticosterone and saline started 7days after ADX when apoptosis had not yet occurred, selective apoptosis on day 9 was not prevented in moderately hyponatremic rats. Interestingly, treatment with memantine, a noncompetitive NMDAR antagonist, prevented the selective apoptosis in the DG in mo...
Source: Experimental Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Exp Neurol Source Type: research