Sexually Dimorphic Adolescent Trajectories of Prefrontal Endocannabinoid Synaptic Plasticity Equalize in Adulthood, Reflected by Endocannabinoid System Gene Expression.

How sex influences prefrontal cortexes (PFCs) synaptic development through adolescence remains unclear. In this study we describe sex-specific cellular and synaptic trajectories in the rat PFC from adolescence to adulthood. The excitability of PFC layer 5 pyramidal neurons was lower in adult females compared with other developmental stages.

Intermittent repeated stress but not ketamine changes mice response to antidepressants.

Discovery of the rapid antidepressant effect of ketamine has been considered one of the most important advances in major depressive disorder treatment. Several studies report a significant benefit to patients that lasts up to 19 days after treatment. However, concerns arise from the long-term use of ketamine, thus a safe and effective strategy for maintaining its antidepressant effect is still necessary.

Maternal Exposure to the Cannabinoid Agonist WIN 55,12,2 during Lactation Induces Lasting Behavioral and Synaptic Alterations in the Rat Adult Offspring of Both Sexes.

Consumption of cannabis during pregnancy and the lactation period is a rising public health concern (Scheyer et al., 2019). Exposure to synthetic or plant-derived cannabinoids via lactation disrupts the development of GABAergic neurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and alters early-life behaviors (Scheyer et al.

Perinatal THC exposure via lactation induces lasting alterations to social behavior and prefrontal cortex function in rats at adulthood.

Cannabis is the world's most widely abused illicit drug and consumption amongst women during and surrounding the period of pregnancy is increasing. Previously, we have shown that cannabinoid exposure via lactation during the early postnatal period disrupts early developmental trajectories of prefrontal cortex maturation and induces behavioral abnormalities during the first weeks of life in male and female rat progeny. Here, we investigated the lasting consequences of this postnatal cannabinoid exposure on synaptic and behavioral parameters in the adult offspring of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-treated dams.

Cannabinoid Exposure via Lactation in Rats Disrupts Perinatal Programming of the Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Trajectory and Select Early-Life Behaviors.

Background: Cannabis usage is increasing with its widespread legalization. Cannabis use by mothers during lactation transfers active cannabinoids to the developing offspring during this critical period and alters postnatal neurodevelopment. A key neurodevelopmental landmark is the excitatory to inhibitory gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) switch caused by reciprocal changes in expression ratios of the K/Cl transporters potassium-chloride cotransporter 2 (KCC2) and sodium-potassium-chloride transporter (NKCC1).

Sex Differences in the Behavioral and Synaptic Consequences of a Single Exposure to the Synthetic Cannabimimetic WIN55,212-2 at Puberty and Adulthood.

Heavy cannabis consumption among adolescents is associated with significant and lasting neurobiological, psychological and health consequences that depend on the age of first use. Chronic exposure to cannabinoid agonists during the perinatal period or adolescence alters social behavior and prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity in adult rats. However, sex differences on social behavior as well as PFC synaptic plasticity after acute cannabinoid activation remain poorly explored.

Hypericum polyanthemum cyclohexane extract potentiates behavioral effects and neurodegeneration induced by nigral infusions of 6-hydroxydopamine in rats.

Introduction: Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, hallmark of which is loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons. Since a  Hypericum polyanthemum extract inhibits monoamine reuptake and some of its constituents present cytotoxic properties, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of this extract in an animal PD model.

Methods: Adult Wistar rats (110 days old) received 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) infusions into the right medial forebrain bundle.

Sex-dependent effects of in utero cannabinoid exposure on cortical function.

Cannabinoids can cross the placenta, thus may interfere with fetal endocannabinoid signaling during neurodevelopment, causing long-lasting deficits. Despite increasing reports of cannabis consumption during pregnancy, the protracted consequences of prenatal cannabinoid exposure (PCE) remain incompletely understood. Here, we report sex-specific differences in behavioral and neuronal deficits in the adult progeny of rat dams exposed to low doses of cannabinoids during gestation.

Is Forced Swimming Immobility a Good Endpoint for Modeling Negative Symptoms of Schizophrenia? - Study of Sub-Anesthetic Ketamine Repeated Administration Effects.

Immobility time in the forced swimming has been described as analogous to emotional blunting or apathy and has been used for characterizing schizophrenia animal models. Several clinical studies support the use of NMDA receptor antagonists to model schizophrenia in rodents. Some works describe the effects of ketamine on immobility behavior but there is variability in the experimental design used leading to controversial results.

Diene Valepotriates from Valeriana glechomifolia Prevent Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Sickness and Depressive-Like Behavior in Mice.

Valeriana glechomifolia, a native species from southern Brazil, presents antidepressant-like activity and diene valepotriates (VAL) contribute to the pharmacological properties of the genus. It is known that depression can develop on an inflammation background in vulnerable patients and antidepressants present anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated the effects of VAL (10 mg/kg, p.

Striatal Injury with 6-OHDA Transiently Increases Cerebrospinal GFAP and S100B.

Both glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and S100B have been used as markers of astroglial plasticity, particularly in brain injury; however, they do not necessarily change in the same time frame or direction. Herein, we induced a Parkinson's disease (PD) model via a 6-OHDA intrastriatal injection in rats and investigated the changes in GFAP and S100B using ELISA in the substantia nigra (SN), striatum, and cerebrospinal fluid on the 1st, 7th, and 21st days following the injection. The model was validated using measurements of rotational behaviour induced by methylphenidate and tyrosine hydroxylase in the dopaminergic pathway.

Immobility behavior during the forced swim test correlates with BNDF levels in the frontal cortex, but not with cognitive impairments.

The forced swim test (FST) is widely used to evaluate the antidepressant-like activity of compounds and is sensitive to stimuli that cause depression-like behaviors in rodents. The immobility behavior observed during the test has been considered to represent behavioral despair. In addition, some studies suggest that the FST impairs rats' performance on cognitive tests, but these findings have rarely been explored.

Repeated forced swimming impairs prepulse inhibition and alters brain-derived neurotrophic factor and astroglial parameters in rats.

Glutamate perturbations and altered neurotrophin levels have been strongly associated with the neurobiology of neuropsychiatric disorders. Environmental stress is a risk factor for mood disorders, disrupting glutamatergic activity in astrocytes in addition to cognitive behaviours. Despite the negative impact of stress-induced neuropsychiatric disorders on public health, the molecular mechanisms underlying the response of the brain to stress has yet to be fully elucidated.

In vivo evaluation of the highly soluble oral β-cyclodextrin-Sertraline supramolecular complexes.

The aim of the present work was to evaluate the antidepressant like-effect and plasma concentration of Sertraline (SRT) using an inclusion complex (IC) with β-cyclodextrin (βCD) in mice. This supramolecular system was prepared using two different molar ratios at 1:1 and 1:2 SRT:βCD and both were characterized to assess the drug inclusion into the host cavity. Based on the X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermal analysis the interaction between host and guest molecules could be suggested.

Effect of rosmarinic and caffeic acids on inflammatory and nociception process in rats.

Rosmarinic acid is commonly found in species of the Boraginaceae and the subfamily Nepetoideae (Lamiaceae). It has a number of interesting biological activities, for example, antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of the i.