Episodic memory was initially believed to be unique to humans. However, studies demonstrate that nonhuman species discriminate items based on the triad what, where and when. Here we addressed the role of the dorsal hippocampal subfield CA1 in an integrative what-where-when task in Wistar rats. We performed bilateral inactivation of dorsal CA1 with the GABA agonist muscimol previously to the task. As expected, sham-operated animals recollected an integrative memory for objects (what), their places (where) and temporal order (when). However, the inactivation of CA1 impaired the performance of the three components of episodic-like memory. In addition, total time of objects exploration and distance traveled were not different between groups, indicating that rats had similar levels of motivation, thus, alterations in exploration does not account for impaired locomotor performance. Altogether, our data provides evidence that CA1 plays an important role in episodic-like memory.

The exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during development results in behavioural impairment in adulthood in humans and animal models. Indeed, serotonergic overexpression in early life leads to structural and functional changes in brain circuits that control cognition and emotion. However, the effects of developmental exposure to these substances on the behaviour of adolescent rats are conflicting and remain poorly characterised. We performed a behavioural screening to investigate the effects of postnatal exposure to fluoxetine on memory and behaviours related to anxiety, anhedonia, and depression, as well we evaluate the parvalbumin expression in hippocampus of juvenile (~PND45) female and male rats. Fluoxetine (daily 20 mg/kg s.c. injections from PND7‐PND21)‐ or vehicle‐treated adolescent rats went through several behavioural tasks (from PND 38 to PND52) and were subject to transcardial perfusion and brain removal for immunohistochemical analysis (PND53). We found that postnatal exposure to fluoxetine increased anxiety‐ and depression‐like behaviours in the open field and sucrose preference and forced swimming tests, respectively. In addition, this treatment induced working memory and short‐term (but not long‐term) recognition memory impairments, and reduced parvalbumin‐positive interneurons in the hippocampus. In addition, the results revealed developmental sex‐dependent effects of fluoxetine postnatal treatment on adolescent rats' behaviour. These outcomes indicate that affective disorders and mnemonic alterations caused by SSRIs perinatal exposure can be present at adolescence.

The high medical importance of Crotalus snakes is unquestionable, as this genus is the second in frequency of ophidian accidents in many countries, including Brazil. With a relative less complex composition compared to other genera venoms, as those from the Bothrops genus, the Crotalus genus venom from South America is composed basically by the neurotoxin crotoxin (a phospholipase A2), the thrombin-like gyroxin (a serinoprotease), a very potent aggregating protein convulxin, and a myotoxic polypeptide named crotamine. Interestingly not all Crotalus snakes express crotamine, which was first described in early 50s due to its ability to immobilize animal hind limbs, contributing therefore to the physical immobilization of preys and representing an important advantage for the envenoming efficacy, and consequently, for the feeding and survival of these snakes in nature. Representing about 10–25% of the dry weight of the crude venom of crotamine-positive rattlesnakes, the polypeptide crotamine is also suggested to be of importance for antivenom therapy, although the contribution of this toxin to the main symptoms of envenoming process remains far unknown until now. Herein, we concomitantly performed in vitro and in vivo assays to show for the first time the dose-dependent response of crotamine-triggered hind limbs paralysis syndrome, up to now believed to be observable only at high (sub-lethal) concentrations of crotamine. In addition, ex vivo assay performed with isolated skeletal muscles allowed us to suggest here that compounds active on voltage-sensitive sodium and/or potassium ion channels could both affect the positive inotropic effect elicited by crotamine in isolated diaphragm, besides also affecting the hind limbs paralysis syndrome imposed by crotamine in vivo. By identifying the potential molecular targets of this toxin, our data may contribute to open new roads for translational studies aiming to improve the snakebite envenoming treatment in human. Interestingly, we also demonstrate that the intraplantal or intraperitoneal (ip) injections of crotamine in mice do not promote pain. Therefore, this work may also suggest the profitable utility of non-toxic analogs of crotamine as a potential tool for targeting voltage-gated ion channels in skeletal muscles, aiming its potential use in the therapy of neuromuscular dysfunctions and envenoming therapy.