Abstract Abstract 183

Fetal asphyxia may result in brain damage and long-term neurodevelopmental impairment.

The aim of this work was to study the impact of fetal asphyxia on spatial learning, memory and motor function in the rat at 1.5 and 6 mo of age.

On day 17 of gestation (E17; 80% of full term gestation), Wistar-Lewis rats were subjected to a midline laparotomy inside a close incubator to maintain normothermia. The uterine and the ovarian arteries were clamped with non traumatic removable clamps for 75 min. Thereafter the uterine horns were placed back intra-abdominally. The asphyctic group was born vaginally at term date (group 1, n=11). Control groups were either sham operated (group 2, n=11) or untreated and vaginally delivered (group 3, n=10).

Morris water maze performances at 1.5 mo (4 trials per day for 5 days) and motor function at 6 mo assessed with the open field test (1 trial per day for 3 days) were analyzed with a video tracking system (Ethovision).

Fetal mortality in group 1 was 48 % and in group 2 was 13 %. Birth weight, learning curves and swim distances were similar for the three groups. However, group 1 and 2 swam significantly faster than those of group 3. There was no difference among groups on motor function at 6 mo of age.

These results suggest that fetal asphyxia at E17 in the rat does not affect neither cognitive nor motor function in adulthood.