Effects of (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine in assays of acute pain-stimulated and pain-depressed behaviors in mice.

Ketamine has been shown to produce analgesia in various acute and chronic pain states; however, abuse liability concerns have limited its utility. The ketamine metabolite (2R,6R)-hydroxynorketamine (HNK) has been shown to produce antidepressant-like effects similar to ketamine without abuse liability concerns. (2R,6R)-HNK produces sustained analgesia in models of chronic pain, but has yet to be evaluated in models of acute pain.

Optimizing spinal cord injury in zebrafish larvae: effects of age on the injury response.

Zebrafish are an increasingly popular model to study spinal cord injury (SCI) regeneration. The transparency of larval zebrafish makes them ideal to study cellular processes in real time. Standardized approaches, including age of injury, are not readily available making comparisons of the results with other models challenging.

Acyl Peptide Enzyme Hydrolase (APEH) activity is inhibited by lipid metabolites and peroxidation products.

Acyl Peptide Enzyme Hydrolase (APEH) activity is decreased in certain diseases but the mechanism and impact behind this loss in activity is not well understood. We hypothesized that lipid metabolites and lipid peroxidation products produced in inflammatory diseases may bind to and inhibit APEH activity. In vitro studies carried out in mammalian cell lysates, as well as with purified APEH protein, support our hypothesis that cellular lipid metabolites and lipid peroxidation products significantly decrease APEH activity.

Nicotine-free vapor inhalation produces behavioral disruptions and anxiety-like behaviors in mice: Effects of puff duration, session length, sex, and flavor.

Electronic-cigarette's (ECIGs) popularity has grown over the last decade and changed the way individuals administer nicotine. Preclinical research is imperative for understanding the addictive properties and health-risks associated with ECIG use; however, there is not a standard dosing regimen used across research laboratories. The main objective was to determine how vapor puff durations, administration session length, and flavored e-liquid alter general and mood-disorder related behaviors while providing a foundation of vapor administration parameters.

Assessment of the rapid and sustained antidepressant-like effects of dextromethorphan in mice.

The glutamatergic system has emerged as a novel pathway for treating major depressive disorder (MDD) with the focus on producing both rapid and sustained antidepressant effects. Dextromethorphan is a noncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist that has produced antidepressant-like effects in forced swim and tail suspension tests (TST); however, the rapid and sustained antidepressant-like effects of dextromethorphan have not been evaluated. This study evaluated the rapid and sustained (24 h) antidepressant-like effects of dextromethorphan (0-32 mg/kg) in C56BL/6 mice using the novelty-induced hypophagia (NIH) test and TST, respectively.

Repeated nicotine vapor inhalation induces behavioral sensitization in male and female C57BL/6 mice.

Electronic cigarette use has significantly increased over the past decade. However, there is limited preclinical research on the behavioral and abuse-related effects of nicotine vapor inhalation in rodents. The present study evaluates the effects of repeated nicotine vapor inhalation in male and female mice using a nicotine behavioral sensitization model.