Effects of antipsychotics and amphetamine on social behaviors in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We have recently reported that spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) exhibit a deficit in contextual fear conditioning that is specifically reversed by antipsychotic and potentiated by psychostimulants and other manipulations thought to produce schizophrenia-like states in rodents. Based on these findings, we suggested that this deficit in fear conditioning could be used as an experimental model of emotional processing impairments observed in schizophrenia. This strain has also been suggested as a model by which to study attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The contextual fear conditioning deficit presented by spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) is not improved by mood stabilizers.

Objectives: We have recently reported that spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) present a contextual fear conditioning (CFC) deficit. This deficit is improved by antipsychotic drugs, potentiated by proschizophrenia manipulations and not altered by acute administration of carbamazepine, lamotrigine and valproic acid. Nevertheless, the effects of lithium-a classical mood stabilizer-or repeated treatment with these drugs were not evaluated.

Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) present deficits in prepulse inhibition of startle specifically reverted by clozapine.

Deficits in an operational measure of sensorimotor gating - the prepulse inhibition of startle (PPI) - are presented in psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Some previous studies showed that the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) present PPI deficit. Although SHR is suggested as an animal model to study ADHD, we have suggested that the behavioral phenotype of this strain mimics some aspects of schizophrenia.

Neuroleptic drugs revert the contextual fear conditioning deficit presented by spontaneously hypertensive rats: a potential animal model of emotional context processing in schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) present abnormalities in emotion processing. A previous study showed that the spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), a putative animal model of ADHD, present reduced contextual fear conditioning (CFC). The aim of the present study was to characterize the deficit in CFC presented by SHR.

Effects of baclofen on reserpine-induced vacuous chewing movements in mice.

We have described that GABA mimetic drugs present the ability to inhibit the expression of reserpine-induced oral movements. In this respect, oral movements is associated with important neuropathologies. This study investigates the effects of an acute or a repeated treatment of different doses of the GABA(B) agonist baclofen, as well as withdrawal from these treatments, on the development and/or expression of reserpine-induced vacuous chewing movements (VCM).

Effects of gabaergic drugs on reserpine-induced oral dyskinesia.

Recently we have described the antidyskinetic property of the GABA mimetic drugs valproic acid and topiramate on reserpine-induced oral dyskinesia. In this respect, oral dyskinesia has been associated with important neuropathologies. The present study investigates the effects of different doses of the GABA(A) agonist tetrahydroisoxazolopyridine (THIP), of the GABA(B) agonist baclofen as well as of the GABA(A) modulator diazepam on the manifestation of reserpine-induced orofacial dyskinesia.