Protective Effects of N-Acetylcysteine Against Schizophrenia-Related Behavioral and Parvalbumin Interneuron Deficits Induced by Adolescent Stress.

ABSTRACT:

Background and hypothesis

Adolescent stress has been linked to an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia. Previous findings from our group suggest that adolescent stress causes redox imbalance and functional impairments in parvalbumin (PV) interneurons and their associated perineuronal nets (PNNs) in the ventral hippocampus (vHip). These changes are associated with behavioral abnormalities, vHip hyperactivity, and dopamine system overdrive, mirroring observations in people with schizophrenia. Thus, we hypothesized that the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) could mitigate schizophrenia-related alterations induced by adolescent stress in adult rats.

Study design

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to a combination of daily footshock an

SUBMITTER: Freitas IS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12667614 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature