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.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Psychedelics, but Not Ketamine, Produce Persistent Antidepressant-like Effects in a Rodent Experimental System for the Study of Depression Rats | 2020 | Preclinical study | |
| A Single Subanesthetic Dose of Ketamine Relieves Depression-like Behaviors Induced by Neuropathic Pain in Rats Rats with spared nerve injury (neuropathic pain model), sham-operated rats, and control... | 2011 | Animal experimental study | |
| Effects of N,N-Dimethyltryptamine on Rat Behaviors Relevant to Anxiety and Depression Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats | 2018 | Experimental study | |
| A non-hallucinogenic LSD analog with therapeutic potential for mood disorders. Mice and cultured rat cortical neurons | 2023 | Preclinical study | |
| Comparison of (R)-ketamine and lanicemine on depression-like phenotype and abnormal composition of gut microbiota in a social defeat stress model Susceptible mice after chronic social defeat stress | 2017 | Preclinical animal study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Psychedelics: A review of their effects on recalled aversive memories and fear/anxiety expression in rodents Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews September 20, 2024
- The psychedelic phenethylamine 25C-NBF, a selective 5-HT2A agonist, shows psychoplastogenic properties and rapid antidepressant effects in male rodents Molecular Psychiatry November 14, 2025
Cites 12
- Psychedelics promote neuroplasticity through the activation of intracellular 5-HT2A receptors Science February 16, 2023
- Psychedelic therapy for depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders February 1, 2023
- NBOMes–Highly Potent and Toxic Alternatives of LSD Frontiers in Neuroscience February 26, 2020
- Antidepressant-like effects of psychedelics in a chronic despair mouse model: is the 5-HT2A receptor the unique player? Neuropsychopharmacology March 1, 2024
- Therapeutic mechanisms of psychedelics and entactogens. Neuropsychopharmacology July 24, 2023
and 7 more in the library