A transient insulin system dysfunction in newborn rat brain followed by neonatal intracerebroventricular administration of streptozotocin could be accompanied by a labile cognitive impairment

Sixty male Wistar rat pups were divided into 4 groups of 15 and received intracerebroventricular saline or STZ (icv-STZ) (15, 20 and 25 μg/kg) on postnatal day 7. Gene expression of IR and target genes for IR signaling (choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and Tau) were measured at the ages of 2 and 7 weeks. Behavioral tests were performed at the ages of 3 and 6 weeks to assess short- and long-term cognitive function. 20 μg/kg dose of icv-STZ was estimated as the optimal dose causing transient alteration in gene expression of IR, ChAT and Tau. Additionally, cognitive function of the animals restored to normal level at the age of 6 weeks. Therefore, 20 μg/kg dose of icv-STZ is proposed as a new approach to generating transient brain insulin system dysfunction associated with transient cognitive impairments at a critical postnatal period of brain development.