Numerous in vitro and in vivo models of Parkinson's disease (PD) demonstrate that pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) conveys its strong neuroprotective actions mainly via its specific PAC1 receptor (PAC1R) in models of PD. We recently described the decrease in PAC1R protein content in the basal ganglia of macaques in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) model of PD that was partially reversed by levodopa therapy. In this work, we tested whether these observations occur also in the rotenone model of PD in the rat.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDepression and its increasing prevalence challenge patients, the healthcare system, and the economy. We recently created a mouse model based on the three-hit concept of depression. As genetic predisposition (first hit), we applied pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide heterozygous mice on CD1 background.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAccording to the three hit concept of depression, interaction of genetic predisposition altered epigenetic programming and environmental stress factors contribute to the disease. Earlier we demonstrated the construct and face validity of our three hit concept-based mouse model. In the present work, we aimed to examine the predictive validity of our model, the third willnerian criterion.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: The neuropathological background of major depression and anxiety as non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease is much less understood than classical motor symptoms. Although, neurodegeneration of the Edinger-Westphal nucleus in human Parkinson's disease is a known phenomenon, its possible significance in mood status has never been elucidated. In this work we aimed at investigating whether neuron loss and alpha-synuclein accumulation in the urocortin 1 containing (UCN1) cells of the centrally-projecting Edinger-Westphal (EWcp) nucleus is associated with anxiety and depression-like state in the rat.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMajor depression is a common cause of chronic disability. Despite decades of efforts, no equivocally accepted animal model is available for studying depression. We tested the validity of a new model based on the three-hit concept of vulnerability and resilience.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) has been implicated in stress adaptation with potential relevance in mood disorder management. PACAP deficient (KO) mice on CD1 background were shown to have depression-like phenotype. Here we aimed at investigating effects of chronic variable mild stress (CVMS) in non-injected, vehicle and imipramine-treated KO mice vs.
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