Banca de DEFESA: ROMÉRIO DE OLIVEIRA LIMA FILHO

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : ROMÉRIO DE OLIVEIRA LIMA FILHO
DATE: 26/02/2025
TIME: 09:00
LOCAL: videoconferência/sala da pós graduação
TITLE:

Bioindicators of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: how can Zebrafish (Danio rerio) help?

KEY WORDS:

alcohol, cognition, fasd,zebrafish

PAGES: 50
BIG AREA: Ciências Humanas
AREA: Psicologia
SUMMARY:

Ethanol consumption by pregnant women can lead to a set of clinical manifestations as a result of embryonic exposure to ethanol known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). This neurodevelopmental disorder presents various behavioral and cognitive phenotypes depending on the concentration, persistence and period of exposure to ethanol. Its manifestations resemble other developmental conditions, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and this can lead to diagnostic confusion, which directly impacts on its treatment. This work aims to investigate biological indicators, both behavioral and molecular, for ASD. We used the zebrafish (Danio rerio), a small freshwater fish with high genetic homology with humans, as a model to investigate the effects of embryonic exposure to ethanol on behavior, cognition and gene expression patterns. We exposed zebrafish AB embryos 24 hours post-fertilization to three concentrations of ethanol (0.0%, 0.5% and 1.0%) for two hours. To observe the effect of embryonic exposure throughout ontogeny, we carried out behavioral analyses - using the Free Movement Y-Pattern test - and molecular analyses - using gene expression by qPCR - with the animals at the larval (15 days post fertilization, dpf), juvenile (45 dpf) and adult (90 dpf) stages. Our results showed hypolocomotion in the larval stage and hyperlocomotion in the juvenile and adult stages, as well as cognitive impairment in the latter two stages in individuals exposed to low concentrations of ethanol, evidenced by an increase in repetitive pattern movements and a reduction in the alternation strategy. As for the molecular markers evaluated, the results indicate a significant deficit in the expression of most of the genes studied in the larval and adult stages. Behavioral and molecular assessments in zebrafish exposed to ethanol during the embryonic period will help to elucidate the cognitive and physiological alterations involved in FASD.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 1644341 - ANA CAROLINA LUCHIARI
Externa ao Programa - 1720860 - VANESSA DE PAULA SOARES RACHETTI - UFRNExterna à Instituição - ANA LUCIA BRUNIALTI GODARD