Locomotion and eating behavior changes in Yucatan minipigs after unilateral radio-induced ablation of the caudate nucleus

Nicolas Coquery (1) , Jean-François Adam (2) , Christian Nemoz (3) , Regis Janvier (1) , Jayde Livingstone (4) , Alain Chauvin (5) , Cécile Guerineau (1) , Loic de Saint Jean (3) , Samy Kefs (6) , Alexandre Ocadiz (3) , Audrey Bouchet (2) , Stefan Bartzsch (7) , Elisabeth Schültke (8) , Albert E. Siegbahn (9) , Elke Bräuer-Krisch (3) , Benjamin Lemasson (10) , Emmanuel Luc Barbier (11) , Jean A. Laissue (12) , Jacques Balosso (6) , David Val-Laillet (1) , Raphaël Serduc (3)

1 NuMeCan - Nutrition, Métabolismes et Cancer
2 STROBE - Synchrotron Radiation for Biomedicine Laboratory
3 ESRF - European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
4 Australian Synchrotron [Clayton]
5 BIOEPAR - Biologie, Epidémiologie et analyse de risque en Santé Animale
6 CHUGA - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire [CHU Grenoble]
7 TUM - Technische Universität Munchen - Technical University Munich - Université Technique de Munich
8 University Medical Center Rostock
9 Department of Medical Physics
10 GIN - Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences
11 GIN - [GIN] Grenoble Institut des Neurosciences
12 Oncology - Pathology - Anatomy

The functional roles of the Caudate nucleus (Cd) are well known. Selective Cd lesions can be found in neurological disorders. However, little is known about the dynamics of the behavioral changes during progressive Cd ablation. Current stereotactic radiosurgery technologies allow the progressive ablation of a brain region with limited adverse effects in surrounding normal tissues. This could be of high interest for the study of the modified behavioral functions in relation with the degree of impairment of the brain structures. Using hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy combined with synchrotron microbeam radiation, we investigated, during one year after irradiation, the effects of unilateral radio-ablation of the right Cd on the behavior of Yucatan minipigs. The right Cd was irradiated to a minimal dose of 35.5 Gy delivered in three fractions. MRI-based morphological brain integrity and behavioral functions, i.e. locomotion, motivation/hedonism were assessed. We detected a progressive radionecrosis leading to a quasi-total ablation one year after irradiation, with an additional alteration of surrounding areas. Transitory changes in the motivation/hedonism were firstly detected, then on locomotion, suggesting the influence of different compensatory mechanisms depending on the functions related to Cd and possibly some surrounding areas. We concluded that early behavioral changes related to eating functions are relevant markers for the early detection of ongoing lesions occurring in Cd-related neurological disorders.

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Nicolas Coquery, Jean-François Adam, Christian Nemoz, Regis Janvier, Jayde Livingstone, et al.. Locomotion and eating behavior changes in Yucatan minipigs after unilateral radio-induced ablation of the caudate nucleus. Scientific Reports, 2019, 9 (1), pp.17082. ⟨10.1038/s41598-019-53518-2⟩. ⟨hal-02376578⟩