Program No. 680.12, Bergstrom et al.
Adolescent alcohol consumption induces persisting effects on fear conditioning and anxiety-related behavior in rat.

This study compared the impact of EtOH consumption during adolescence and adulthood on anxiety-like behavior and fear conditioning after long term abstinence. It was found that alcohol decreased center quadrant duration and crossing in the female adolescent group. In addition, alcohol decreased tone conditioning in the male and female adolescent group. No effects were detected in the adult group for the novel open field or fear conditioning. Adolescent rats consumed more EtOH (78%) than adults from P28-40.

Program No. 684.15, Brielmaier et al.
Changes in dopamine receptor mRNA expression following chronic nicotine administration during periadolescence.

Two cohorts of rats were dosed with chronic nicotine. Control animals in each cohort were given saline solution. Brains from the first cohort were fresh frozen and sectioned for autoradiograph in situ hybridization, which revealed increased dopamine D2 receptor mRNA following dosing with nicotine. Second cohort were injected with nicotine and then tested in open field, where psychomotor differences were observed between control and chronic-nicotine animals.

Program No. 884.13, Cano et al.
Effects of pre- and post-natal dietary consumption of zinc (ZnCO3) on phenotype and Alzheimer-like pathology in APP2576 transgenic mice.

The study examined the behavioral and neurological effects of enhanced dietary zinc in TgAPP2576 mice. Both Tg and Wt-zinc treated animals were significantly impaired in MWM Atlantis and moving platform paradigms at 12 months of age, with Tg-zinc animals the most impaired. Congo red histochemistry suggests zinc treatment impairs memory even though it reduces amyloid deposition.

Program No. 799.7, Dailey et al.
Gestational cocaine exposure alters dendritic morphology of medium spiny neurons in rat nucleus accumbens and produces enduring psychomotor alteration.

Rats were dosed prenatally with cocaine, then crossfostered to cocaine-naive mothers. Adult rats were then dosed with either cocaine or saline and placed in open field chambers to observed psychomotor agitation. Dendritic morphology was examined using Golgi-Cox staining.

Program No. 684.12, Eppolito et al.
Chronic nicotine administration during early adolescent development produces enduring psychomotor alteration and persisting morphological changes in nucleus accumbens.

Adolescent rats were administered chronic nicotine either early or late in adolescence. Later, these animals were tested in open field following first saline, then nicotine injection. Dendritic morphology was studied using Golgi-Cox staining. Lasting effects were observed in the early adolescent group compared to the late group.

Program No. 880.2, Fitzgerald et al.
The effect of copper on zinc-related cognitive deficiencies as assessed by the Morris water maze.

This study examined the effects of enhanced dietary zinc or zinc/copper on learning and memory. Male Sprague-Dawley rats treated with zinc/copper performed significantly better on MWM tasks at 3 months of age than animals treated with only zinc or with lab water. The results suggest that the memory deficits related to enhanced zinc exposure are due in part to depletion of copper.

Program No. 91.6, Linkous et al.
Analysis of zinc and copper in age-related macular degeneration drusen.

AMD is characterized by the presence of drusen, deposits of waste proteins and oxidized lipids that form under the retinal pigment epithelium. Levels of zinc and copper in AMD retinal tissue were assessed using synchrotron x-ray fluorescence. The presence of free zinc was confirmed histochemically using the zinc-specific fluorophore ZP1. Drusen were found to have much higher levels of zinc and copper than surrounding tissue or control tissue.

Program No. 978.15, McDonald et al.
Principal component analysis of abnormal visual evoked potentials in malnourished infants.

Principal component analysis (PCA) was employed in an attempt to differentiate the waveform morphology of visual evoked potentials (VEPs) obtained from marasmic and control infants. Statistical analysis of factor scores indicated that marasmic and control infants differed significantly with respect to the first principal component.

Program No. 423.17, Nemec et al.
Effects of dietary consumption of zinc and iron on β-amyloid conformation using synchrotron infrared microspectroscopy.

This study examined the effects of enhanced ditary zinc and iron on β-amyloid protein conformation in TgAPP2576 mice. Synchrotron infrared microspectroscopy was used to assess the levels of α-helix and β-pleated sheet amyloid species in the hippocampus. Results indicate that zinc enhancement sequesters β-sheet formation to the granular cell layer of dentate gyrus, while β-sheet levels are more abundant and dispersed in iron animals.

Program No. 196.13, Smith et al.
Relationship between early postnatal experience, learning, and NMDA NR2A and NR2B receptor subunit mRNA quantities in rats.

Rats which experienced an environmental stressor in early life were split in two groups based on birth date and tested in Atlantis and moving platform MWM paradigms at 3 months of age. The Late group performed better than the Early group, and the Early group was more varied in performance. ISH auto-radiography was used to quantify NMDA receptor mRNA in dentate gyrus and CA1-3. A significant difference was found between groups, and significant correlations were found between learning and mRNA levels.

Program No. 879.4, Thompson et al.
Analysis of dietary enhancement of ZnCO3 and Fe(NO3)2 on human APP and presenilin mRNA expression and behavior in Tg2576 mice.

The study examined the effect of enhanced dietary zinc and iron on mRNA expression in Tg2576 mice, using auto-radiography ISH. APP in dentate gyrus/hilus and CA1/CA2/CA3 and presenilin in CA1/CA2/CA3 was assessed. A significant difference in APP mRNA expression between lab water and metal-treated animals was found: lab water animals had greater amounts of APP mRNA. There was no significant difference in presenilin between water groups.