Neonatal herpes simplex virus type 1 brain infection affects the development of sensorimotor gating in rats

The effect of neonatal brain infection of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV- 1) on the development of sensorimotor function in the rat was investigated using an acoustic startle paradigm. Intracerebral inoculation of HSV-1 at d ay 2 after birth, but not at day 4, caused a significant delay in the devel opment of prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle. A decrease in prepulse i nhibition was shown at 37, 46 and 58 days of age in these rats compared to control rats. No evidence was obtained for other behavioural dysfunctions s uch as differences in sensorimotor reactivity, sensorimotor response habitu ation, spontaneous locomotor activity, rearing activity or stereotyped beha viour. Prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle is an accepted model of sens orimotor gating in the CNS, a function which has been shown diminished in s chizophrenic persons. The present results suggest that early viral infectio ns during a neurone-susceptible period may contribute to the development of this deficit. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.