V-34
Cognition, Behavior, and Memory
Traffic and white noise exposure: Differential effects on memory and hippocampus-dependent behaviors in adolescent rats and environmental enrichment as a neuroprotective strategy
Gonzalo Nahuel Corsi*1,2, Danai Broggi*1,2, María Belén Reniero Paretto1,2, Kiara Celeste Correa Benitez1,2, Sabrina Lourdes Vilaró1,2, Laura Ruth Guelman1,2, Luciana D’Alessio2,3, Sonia Jazmín Molina1,2 (* equal contribution)
1. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Universidad de Buenos Aires. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFyBO). Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. 1ª Cátedra de Farmacología. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
3. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET). Universidad de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Biología Celular y Neurociencias (IBCN). Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Presenting Author:
gonza.corsi@gmail.com
Noise can adversely affect health during development, with the hippocampus (HC) particularly vulnerable to its effects, which may vary by source. White noise effects on the HC are better studied than traffic noise effects, but which is more detrimental remains unclear. Enriched environment (EE) may protect against HC damage. We compared white and traffic noise effects on HC-related behavior in adolescent rats and evaluated EE protection. Adolescent Wistar rats of both sexes were housed in standard or EE cages and exposed to traffic or white noise (2 h/day, 5 days). Open Field, Inhibitory Avoidance, and Elevated Plus Maze were performed. Both types of noise impaired associative memory and increased grooming in both sexes. Traffic noise increased habituation memory (HM) in males and impaired it in females. White noise increased exploration and reduced defensive behaviors (DB) in both sexes, and increased anxiety-like behaviors (ALB) in females. EE prevented some DB and HM alterations depending on sex, while reducing ALB and increasing exploration in both sexes. In summary, white noise produced greater behavioral alterations than traffic noise, suggesting greater effects. Traffic noise had sex-dependent cognitive effects, whereas white noise effects were more consistent across sexes. EE had partial protective effects and induced behavioral changes independently. These findings highlight noise type as a determinant of HC effects, while EE protection depends on noise type and sex.
