Psychedelic 25H-NBOMe attenuates post-sepsis depression in rats.
Barbara G Ferri, Cintia O De Novais, Viviana C T Rojas, Elisa S Estevam, Gabriel J M Dos Santos, Rayner R Cardoso, Ester S C Nogueira, Pollyanna F Oliveira, Wellington A De Barros, Ângelo de Fátima, Fabiana C Vilela Giusti, Alexandre Giusti-Paiva
Neuroscience Letters June 21, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2024.137845 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Preclinical animal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Wistar rats weighing 250-300 g |
| Intervention | 25H-NBOMe |
| Duration | Behavioral assessments on day 7 or 14 post-surgery |
| Topics | Depression |
| Keywords | Animal models Forced swimming test Long-term sequelae Neuroinflammation Phenethylamine Sepsis-associated encephalopathy |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key points | 25H-NBOMe treatment reduced depressive-like behaviors and GFAP expression in rats with sepsis-associated encephalopathy. |
Abstract
Sepsis-associated encephalopathy, which manifests in severe cognitive and depressive symptoms, is directly linked to neuroinflammation. Our study investigates the efficacy of 25H-NBOMe, a phenethylamine, in alleviating these symptoms, potentially offering an innovative treatment for post-sepsis depression. Wistar rats, weighing between 250-300 g, were subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) surgery to induce sepsis. Depressive-like behaviors were assessed using the forced swim test (FST) on either day 7 or 14 post-surgery, to establish the presence of depressive symptoms. The impact of 25H-NBOMe treatment was then evaluated, focusing on the head-twitch response (HTR), performance in the FST, and GFAP expression in the prefrontal cortex. Treatment with 25H-NBOMe resulted in significant behavioral changes, demonstrated by decreased immobility and increased swimming times in the FST, along with a rise in the HTR. These outcomes indicate a reduction in depressive-like symptoms post-sepsis and the psychoactive effects of the compound. Furthermore, a notable decrease in GFAP expression in the study highlights the compound's impact on mitigating sepsis-induced astrogliosis. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of 25H-NBOMe, a psychedelic in the phenethylamine class, in treating post-sepsis depression and reducing astrogliosis. However, the psychedelic nature of 25H-NBOMe calls for further investigation into similar compounds with less psychoactive impact, crucial for advancing treatment options for neuropsychiatric symptoms following sepsis.