Glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists rapidly reverse behavioral and synaptic deficits caused by chronic stress exposure.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite widely reported clinical and preclinical studies of rapid antidepressant actions of glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, there has been very little work examining the effects of these drugs in stress models of depression that require chronic administration of antidepressants or the molecular mechanisms that could account for the rapid responses.

Methods

We used a rat 21-day chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) model to test the rapid actions of NMDA receptor antagonists on depressant-like behavior, neurochemistry, and spine density and synaptic function of prefrontal cortex neurons.

Results

The results demonstrate that acute treatment with the noncompetitive NMDA channel blocker ketamine or the selective NMDA receptor 2B antagon

SUBMITTER: Li N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3068225 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature