Figure 2.

Early intervention with hippocampal NSC grafting after SE preserved recognition memory function and diminished the depressive-like behavior during the chronic phase of epilepsy. A Novel Object Recognition test (NORT) was used for this test. The cartoon A1-A3 shows the open field box with different objects during the three phases of this test. The bar charts B1-B3 demonstrate the performance of animals in the naïve control (purple), SE only (red), and SE+NSC group (green). Note a significantly higher preference of animals in the naïve control and SE+NSC groups to explore novel object area (NOA) over the familiar object area (FOA) in trial 3 (B1, B3, B4), which implied an ability for recognition memory. In contrast, the animals in the SE only group did not show any preference for either the FOA or NOA in Trial 3 (B2, B4). Note that the total object exploration times were comparable between the three groups (B5). The bar charts C1-C3 show the extent of depressive-like behavior in different groups in a forced swim test (FST). The total time spent in immobility during the FST was used as a measure of depressive-like behavior. Note that the times spent in floating were significantly greater in SE only animals at first 5 minutes (C1), last 5 minutes (C2), or for the entire duration of 10 minutes (C3). In contrast, the duration of immobility in the SE+NSC group was highly comparable to that of animals in the naïve control group but significantly lower than the SE only group in different segments and during the entire duration of the test, indicating a graft-mediated reduction in depressive-like behavior (C1-C3). *p<0.05; **p<0.01; ***p<0.001.