Data and experimental setup for a comprehensive study of ketamine's effect on neuronal plasticity following social isolation rearing in male and female rats.

In this study, we collected electrophysiological data from acute hippocampal slices of male and female Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were exposed to social isolation rearing and then acutely treated with various doses of ketamine in order to rescue hippocampal plasticity deficits induced by isolation stress. We used two different approaches to study neuronal plasticity: Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) which is a well-established cellular model for memory and Paired-Pulse Facilitation (PPF) which is short-term of presynaptic plasticity.

Sex-specific effects of social isolation stress and ketamine on hippocampal plasticity.

Chronic social isolation stress (SIS) induces lasting negative effects on the brain, including memory deficits, cognitive impairments, and mood alterations such as depression and anxiety. All these symptoms, at least in part, reflect reduced hippocampal function. In both clinical and preclinical studies, subanesthetic doses of the NMDA receptor antagonist, ketamine (KET), was shown to have rapid and lasting antidepressant effects.

Sex differences and effects of the estrous stage on hippocampal-prefrontal theta communications.

Effective communication between the mammalian hippocampus and neocortex is essential to certain cognitive-behavioral tasks critical to survival in a changing environment. Notably, functional synchrony between local field potentials (LFPs) of the ventral hippocampus (vHPC) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) within the theta band (4-12 Hz) underlies innate avoidance behavior during approach-avoidance conflict tasks in male rodents. However, the physiology of vHPC-mPFC communications in females remains unestablished.

Chemogenetic selective manipulation of nucleus accumbens medium spiny neurons bidirectionally controls alcohol intake in male and female rats.

The nucleus accumbens (NAc), considered the hub of reward circuitry, is comprised of two medium spiny neuron (MSN) subtypes that are classified by their enrichment of dopamine 1 (D1) or 2 (D2) receptors. While reports indicate that alcohol increases excitatory neurotransmission exclusively on NAc D1-MSNs in male rats, it remains unknown how NAc MSNs control alcohol intake in either sex. Therefore, this study investigated how NAc MSNs mediate alcohol intake by using Drd1a-iCre and Drd2-iCre transgenic rats of both sexes.

Sex-Dependent Ketamine Addiction-Like Behavior Profile Following Exposure to Chronic Mild Stress.

Background: Ketamine has rapid antidepressant effects and shows great promise as a novel treatment for depression, but its limitations including its abuse potential are poorly understood. Given that the prevalence of depression is twice as high in women as in men and that depression and substance use disorders are highly comorbid, we hypothesized that a sex-specific responsivity to behavioral assays that characterize addiction-like behavior may arise in rats with prior exposure to chronic stress and therapeutically relevant ketamine.

Methods: Male and female rats that underwent chronic mild stress were treated with four 1.

Sex- and dose-dependent abuse liability of repeated subanesthetic ketamine in rats.

Rationale: Subanesthetic ketamine (KET) elicits rapid, robust, but transient antidepressant effects. KET's antidepressant actions can be augmented and maintained for a longer duration when repeatedly delivered. However, KET is recreationally abused, raising long-term treatment safety concerns.

Locomotor sensitization to intermittent ketamine administration is associated with nucleus accumbens plasticity in male and female rats.

Clinical evidence suggests superior antidepressant response over time with a repeated, intermittent ketamine treatment regimen as compared to a single infusion. However, the club drug ketamine is commonly abused. Therefore, the abuse potential of repeated ketamine injections at low doses needs to be investigated.

Hedonic sensitivity to low-dose ketamine is modulated by gonadal hormones in a sex-dependent manner.

We recently reported a greater sensitivity of female rats to rapid antidepressant-like effects of ketamine compared to male rats, and that ovarian-derived estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) are essential for this response. However, to what extent testosterone may also contribute, and whether duration of response to ketamine is modulated in a sex- and hormone-dependent manner remains unclear. To explore this, we systematically investigated the influence of testosterone, estradiol and progesterone on initiation and maintenance of hedonic response to low-dose ketamine (2.

Series of fibrinous inflammation after implantation of capsular tension rings.

Purpose: To analyze the cause of fibrinous inflammation in eyes with capsular tension rings (CTRs) after cataract surgery.

Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany.

Design: Retrospective case series.

[Long-term follow-up 10 years after transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) for small, posterior located malignant melanomas of the choroid].

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term results of transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) for small malignant choroidal melanomas.

Patients And Methods: In the time period 1/1998 to 10/1999 in a prospective non-randomised analysis 26 eyes with small malignant melanomas (located posterior to the equator with base ≤ 12 and thickness ≤ 4.5 mm) were primary treated with the TTT standard protocol (follow-up over a time span of at least 10 years).

[Tumor regression in malignant choroidal melanomas after transpupillary thermotherapy (TTT) versus ruthenium brachytherapy and sandwich therapy - a comparative analysis].

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate tumour regression in a large series of choroidal melanomas, which were treated with three different eye-sparing treatment modalities.

Patients And Methods: Retrospective review of the treatment results in all eyes with malignant choroidal melanoma, which were treated in the University Eye Clinic of Mainz consecutively in the time span 1.1992 to 12.

[Idiopathic macular telangiectasia - follow-up with and without laser photocoagulation].

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of laser photocoagulation for idiopathic macular telangiectasia (IMT) by using the revised and simplified classification of Yannuzzi 2006.

Patients And Methods: The Yannuzzi classification was used for a retrospective analysis of the medical records of all patients with idiopathic macular telangiectasia as diagnosed consecutively in the University Eye Clinic of Mainz in the time period from 1 / 02 to 12 / 06. Laser treatment was indicated only in those eyes which presented with a visual acuity below 10 / 20 (follow-up interval in median 37 months, minimum 13 months).

[Arteriovenous crossing sheathotomy in branch retinal vein occlusion].

Background: The aim of this study is to report on arteriovenous sheathotomy in branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) with a long-term follow-up and examine the visual field effects of this surgical approach.

Patients And Methods: In a clinical trial 36 eyes with branch retinal vein occlusion (22 eyes with ischaemia, 14 eyes with chronic macular oedema) underwent surgical decompression accompanied by peeling of the membrana limitans interna after prior isovolemic haemodilution for 3 months had been unsuccessful.

Results: All eyes showed a significant reduction of macular oedema 3 months after surgery.

[Eales' disease--10 years experience with a rare disease].

Background: Eales' disease is an uncommon vasoproliferative retinal disease affecting otherwise healthy young men. We report on our treatment results in a large patients group with long-term follow-up.

Patients And Methods: The treatment results in 50 eyes (35 patients) with Eales' disease, that were consecutively treated from May 1995 to August 2005, were analysed retrospectively.

[Laser photocoagulation and photodynamic therapy (PDT) with verteporfin for retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD)].

Background: Retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) is a subtype of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with particularly bad prognosis. Diverse treatment modalities are performed.

Patients And Methods: This is a retrospective review on the treatment results of 41 consecutive patients from 1/2003 to 12/2005 with RAP stage 1-3 (Yannuzzi classification), who were treated with laser photocoagulation, photodynamic therapy (PDT) and intravitreal injection of triamcinolone acetonide (IVT).

[Central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) and corticosteroids].

Background: Corticosteroids are under suspicion of playing an important role in the development of central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Patients And Methods: In a prospective study the course of CSC was evaluated in a consecutive series of 46 patients, who received the diagnosis of CSC in the period 4 / 2004 - 12 / 2005. Data analysis was focused on the complete medical and ocular history and the ocular course of this disease.