Figure 3
GDNF administration leads to slower weight gain, reduction in activity and deficits in working memory. (a) WT and (b) SOD1 rats that received tail vein injections of AAV9-GDNF gained weight at a slower rate over time relative to their AAV9(−)- and saline- injected controls. (WT saline vs WT AAV9-GDNF *P<0.05, two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA): interaction, time, group; WT AAV9(−) vs AAV9-GDNF *P<0.05, two-way ANOVA: interaction, time. SOD1 AAV9(−) and SOD1 AAV9-GDNF vs WT AAV9-GDNF *P<0.05, two-way ANOVA: interaction, time, group; SOD1 AAV9(−) vs SOD1 AAV9-GDNF *P<0.05, two-way ANOVA: interaction, time). (c) When placed in an open field apparatus for 30 min, both WT and SOD1 rats that received AAV9-GDNF had a significantly reduced total activity level relative to their respective AAV9(−) controls. In addition, SOD1 AAV9(−)-injected rats showed significantly lower total activity relative to WT AAV9(−)-injected rats that would suggest that these SOD1 rats are in the beginning stages of disease. When tested for working memory in the Y-Maze task, rats injected with AAV9-GDNF exhibited significant working memory deficits (d) as the % alternation between arms was significantly reduced in both WT and SOD1 rats relative to AAV9(−) controls. (e) This was not due to a decrease in total observed activity in the Y-Maze, as overall arm entries between AAV9-GDNF and AAV9(−) groups were not different. *P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.0001, error bars=s.e.m., unpaired, two-tailed t-test.
