Hippocampal plasticity in rats submitted to a gastric restrictive procedure

Nutr Neurosci. 2011 Sep;14(5):181-5. doi: 10.1179/1476830511Y.0000000009.

Abstract

Bariatric surgery has been the most effective therapeutic intervention for morbidly obese patients. However, recent evidence has shown that this procedure may cause serious neurological complications such as Wernicke encephalopathy, depression, and memory impairment. With this in mind, we conducted an experimental study to investigate whether weight-reduction surgery would promote morphological changes in the hippocampal formation, a brain region linked to cognitive and emotional processes. To do so, the present study evaluated the hippocampal expression of parvalbumin interneurons in rats submitted to a gastric restrictive procedure (experimental phytobezoar). Our results demonstrated that rats with gastric-reduced capacity presented a significant increase in the expression of the parvalbumin interneurons in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 subfields. These data are the first experimental evidence that restrictive bariatric surgery may alter hippocampal cytoarchitecture.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bariatric Surgery / adverse effects*
  • Bariatric Surgery / methods
  • Bezoars
  • Body Weight
  • CA1 Region, Hippocampal / cytology
  • CA1 Region, Hippocampal / physiology*
  • CA3 Region, Hippocampal / cytology
  • CA3 Region, Hippocampal / physiology*
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology*
  • Cognition Disorders / metabolism
  • Cognition Disorders / physiopathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Interneurons / metabolism
  • Luffa
  • Male
  • Neuronal Plasticity / physiology*
  • Nutrition Disorders / etiology*
  • Nutrition Disorders / metabolism
  • Nutrition Disorders / physiopathology
  • Parvalbumins / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Stomach / surgery

Substances

  • Parvalbumins