GANGLIOSIDES ATTENUATE STRESS-INDUCED CHANGES ON BODY-WEIGHT, MOTOR-ACTIVITY AND ON THE BEHAVIORAL-RESPONSE TO 5-METHOXY-N,N-DIMETHYLTRYPTAMINE

The major goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of ganglios ides (GANG) treatment on the onset of adaptive changes and the sequela e induced by stress exposure. With this purpose, the behavioral respon se to 5-metoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeODMT, 5 mg/kg, IF) and moto r activity were evaluated in rats previously submitted either to a sin gle restraint session (2 h) or to a daily restraint event for 3 consec utive days, combined or not to GANG administration (30 mg/kg IF). GANG was always injected 2 h before stress exposure. In addition, differen ces in body weights were recorded throughout the experiments. A simila r behavioral response after 5-MeODMT was observed between saline (SAL) and GANG unstressed rats. Exposure to one or three restraint sessions did not modify the behavioral response to 5-MeODMT, whereas the assoc iation of GANG and stress during 3 consecutive days enhanced forepaw t reading and hindlimb abduction. SAL-treated animals submitted to a sin gle or to three stressful stimuli showed reduced locomotion and rearin g. The combination of GANG and stress for 3 days, but not after a uniq ue association, reversed the decrease on motor activity induced by the aversive experience. The decrease of body weights produced by one or three stress sessions was recovered only in animals treated with GANG and stress for 3 days. These findings suggest that GANG may accelerate the onset of adaptive changes on 5-HT, sites and attenuate certain se quelae induced by previous stress experience.