Molecular mechanisms of the opening of the blood-brain barrier in rodents by means of sound

Abstract

In this study, in experiments on 35 healthy male mice of the C57BL/6 line weighing 25±3 g, it was shown that loud sound/music for 2 hours causes a temporary increase in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in rodents. To investigate changes in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, the molecular mechanisms responsible for its discovery were investigated using laser speckle-contrast imaging of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), immunohistochemical analysis and biochemical analysis of adrenaline in blood plasma. With a sound-dependent increase in the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, there was a decrease in signal intensity from CLND-5, Occ, JAM and an increase in the signal from ZO-1. However, after 4 hours, the signal intensity from the studied proteins was restored, which may be due to their internalization. The results of the study of the effects of music and sound on of BBB in the intact brain require a revision of traditional knowledge about the barrier functions of the brain and open up new opportunities for non-invasive drug delivery strategies. They also may offer some insight into the etiology of brain disorders that follow inadvertent or deliberate exposure to very loud sounds, i.e. battle or rock concerts.