Understanding the elusive mechanisms responsible for the therapeutic efficacy of ketamine in major depressive disorder (MDD) is crucial. Astrocytes play a vital role in regulating extracellular potassium concentration ([K+]o), which is essential for maintaining proper neuronal excitability and overall brain function. Dysregulation of [K+]o can lead to significant changes in neuronal activity,...
Prepulse inhibition of the startle response enables measuring animal behavior and helps us understand core aspects of neuropsychiatric diseases. Prepulse inhibition is considered a translational indicator of sensorimotor gating deficits present in schizophrenia patients and is crucial in the characterization of animal models of schizophrenia-like behaviors. Hallucinogenic drugs acting through...
Under- or overfeeding during pregnancy can lead to behavioral deficits in the offspring in later life. Here, we present a protocol for setting up and carrying out the hyperlocomotion test for assessing behavioral symptoms such as psychosis or mania. As an example, we use the acute rat phencyclidine-injection model which exhibits hyperlocomotion and stereotypic behaviors, resembling the positive...