The pituitary neuropeptide oxytocin promotes social behavior, and is a potential adjunct therapy for social deficits in schizophrenia and autism. Oxytocin may mediate pro-social effects by modulating monoamine release in limbic and cortical areas, which was investigated herein using in vivo microdialysis, after establishing a dose that did not produce accompanying sedative or thermoregulatory...
PsychopharmacologyJune 2014Philip L R Gaskin, Stephen P H Alexander, Kevin C F Fone
Schizophrenia is a debilitating disorder comprising positive, negative and cognitive deficits with a poorly defined neurobiological aetiology; therefore, animal models with greater translational reliability are essential to develop improved therapies. This study combines two developmental challenges in rats, neonatal phencyclidine (PCP) injection and subsequent rearing in social isolation from...
The current study examined the long-term effect of brief exposure to 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) on local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) in specific brain regions immediately following administration of the 5-HT2A/2C receptor agonist, 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI). Wistar rats (post-natal day (PND) 28, n = 24) were administered MDMA (5 mg/kg, i.p.) or...