Women with Parkinson's Disease: effects of ovariectomy on cardiac and respiratory function, metabolomic profile and social behavior in the Parkinson's Disease model induced by 6-hydroxidopamine in female rats

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases related to aging. In addition to motor signals, people with PD also present non-motor changes, such as autonomic and cognitive alterations. Cardiorespiratory dysfunctions in PD are common manifestations associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The risk of PD is twice as high in men than in women. However, women with the disease have a higher mortality rate and faster progression of PD. Studies in humans and animal models point to distinct pathological processes between men and women in the development of PD and the protective effects of ovarian hormones have been established. Cardiorespiratory alterations in rats are practically unexplored in studies on animal model of PD, despite the great importance of research on the disease focused on females. This study aims to evaluate the cardiorespiratory parameters, the death of dopaminergic neurons, the metabolomic profile of cardiac tissue and social behavior in the PD induced by 6-OHDA in female rats, under the influence or not of ovarian hormones. (AU)