Prepubertal Environmental Enrichment Prevents Dopamine Dysregulation and Hippocampal Hyperactivity in MAM Schizophrenia Model Rats.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with a progressive, prolonged course. Early prevention for SCZ is promising but overall lacks support from preclinical evidence. Previous studies have tested environmental enrichment (EE) in certain models of SCZ and discovered a broadly beneficial effect in preventing behavioral abnormalities relevant, yet not specific, to the disorder. Nonetheless, whether EE can prevent dopamine (DA) dysregulation, a hallmark of psychosis and SCZ, had not been tested.

Methods

Using the MAM (methylazoxymethanol acetate) rat model of schizophrenia and saline-treated control animals, we investigated the long-term electrophysiological effects of prepubertal (postnatal day 21-40) EE on DA neurons, pyramidal neurons in the ventral

SUBMITTER: Zhu X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7927755 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature