Mechanism Research Of Impairment Learning And Memory In Offspring Rats Induced By Human Cytomegalovirus Congenital Infection In Early Pregnancy

Objective: Human cytomegalovirus(HCMV) congenital infection is an important factorleading children learning and memory impairment. We used Morris water maze, cranialMRI and histopathology to investigate impairment on learning and memory inSprague-Dawley(SD) rat model of HCMV congenital infection.Methods: We established SD pregnant rats model of HCMV congenital infection,3-month-old offspring of rats were randomly selected from the experimental group (n=6)and control group (n=6).We used Morris water maze to confirm impairment functionlearning and memory of offspring rats, cranial MRI and histopathology to investigatethe mechanism research of impairment learning and memory in offspring rats.Results: Morris water maze demonstrated that the experimental group and controlgroup escape latency in the first and the second day have a significant statisticaldifference (day1:96.33s vs48.37s, P=0.004; day2:76.85s vs33.49s, P=0.005),theexperimental group traveled a significantly longer distance than controlgroup(day1:12.27m vs7.66m, P=0.003; day3:8.35m vs4.12m, P=0.005; day4:6.45mvs2.84m,P=0.001); The number of platform crossings significantly differed amonggroups(1.86vs2.50,P=0.015) and the time spent in the target quadrant was significantlydecreased in control group compared with experiment group(0.15vs0.34,P=0.034).Experimental group displayed lateral ventricle and the third ventricle volume wereexpand, cortical atrophy and calcification T1W1and T2W1MRI. Histopathologydemonstrated neuronal necrosis, reduce, edema and nucleus disappear, some cells weregiant, hippocampus appeared damage, reduce and structural disorder in experimentalrats. Conclusions: Behavioral, cranial MRI and histology showed characteristicchanges, these results may explain early HCMV infection impair offspring SD rat oflearning and memory. The molecular mechanism is further studied.