Long-term behavioural and molecular alterations associated with maternal separation in rats

In this study we addressed whether certain behavioural measures, endocrine levels and specific stress-related proteins exhibit long-term alterations in adult rats following repeated postnatal maternal separation. Rats were subjected to daily maternal separation for 15 min (HMS15) or 180 min (HMS180) from postnatal day 2-14. Adult HMS180 animals were hypoactive and had increased levels of stereotypy compared to HMS15 and normal animal facility-reared (AFR) animals. HMS180 animals also had augmented plasma adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and corticosterone (CORT) concentrations following an acute stressor, compared to the other two groups. We assessed persistent changes in proteins regulated by stress in hippocampus, cortex, ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, striatum and amygdala. Western blotting analysis revealed a decrease in the levels of mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in hippocampus and striatum, but an increase in the ventral tegmental area in the HMS180 rats. Levels of pro-BDNF were significantly increased in the ventral tegmental area of HMS180 animals but were unchanged in other brain regions compared to the other two groups. Levels of the transcription factors cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and DeltaFosB were unchanged in all of the brain regions studied in the maternally separated rats. These data show that maternal separation induces long-term changes in BDNF expression, and more specifically the processing of BDNF, in the hippocampus, striatum and ventral tegmental area. Recognition of these adaptations begins to define the brain regions, and neural circuitry, associated with persistent alterations induced by early life stressors and the development of mood disorders

Self-thrombosing anterior cerebral artery aneurysm leading to a caudate infarct

Self-thrombosing intracranial aneurysms are relatively uncommon and the conditions that lead to their formation are unknown, although they can be seen following subarachnoid hemorrhage and in autopsy specimens. We seek to raise awareness of the unintended iatrogenic thrombosis of intracranial aneurysms, its ischemic consequences, and the use of mechanical thrombectomy in its treatment. A 50-year-old hypertensive woman presented with a sudden onset of severe headache concerning for a ruptured cerebral aneurysm (Hunt-Hess 2). HCT showed diffuse subarachnoid hemorrhage (modified Fisher grade 3), and CTA showed two aneurysms arising from an anterior communicating (ACOM) complex fenestration and one aneurysm arising from the proximal left anterior cerebral artery (ACA) A1 segment. Successful coil embolization of the distal ACOM aneurysm was followed by an attempted balloon-assisted coil embolization of a left ACA A1 aneurysm that led to self-thrombosis and partial occlusion of the A1 segment. After mechanical thrombectomy, there was significant reduction in left A1 thrombus burden. The patient developed an asymptomatic small infarct of the left caudate, likely by occlusion of an anatomic variant of the recurrent artery of Heubner arising from the A1 segment. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a self-thrombosing aneurysm during attempted balloon-assisted embolization. Propagation of the thrombus can lead to parent vessel occlusion and ischemia, and, in this case, an anatomic variant of the recurrent artery of Heubner from A1 made this more likely. Intra-arterial mechanical thrombectomy may be used in the treatment of an iatrogenic vessel thrombosis. Keywords: Self-thrombosing, Heubner artery, Aneurysm, Caudate, Anatomic varian