International journal of developmental neuroscience : the official journal of the International Society for Developmental Neuroscience
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Int. J. Dev. Neurosci. · Apr 2010
The interaction between high ammonia diet and bile duct ligation in developing rats: assessment by spatial memory and asymmetric dimethylarginine.
Bile duct ligation (BDL) in developing rats causes cholestasis, impaired liver function and cognition. Because both nitric oxide (NO) and ammonia are implicated in hepatic encephalopathy (HE), we hypothesized that asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous NO synthase inhibitor, and ammonia affect cognition in young rats with BDL. Four groups of young male Sprague-Dawley rats ages 17 days were used: rat underwent laparotomy (SC group), rat underwent laparotomy plus a 30% ammonium acetate diet (SC+HA group), rat underwent BDL (BDL group), rats underwent BDL plus high ammonia diet (BDL+HA group). ⋯ High ammonia diet increased plasma ammonia and ADMA concentration, and aggravated spatial deficit in the presence of BDL-induced cholestasis. We conclude plasma ADMA plays a role in BDL-induced spatial deficit. High ammonia aggravated the spatial deficits encountered in cholestatic young rats.