Chronic corticosterone biases conflict-related behavior and abolishes ketamine's anticonflict effect in mice.
Natsuko Hitora-Imamura, Yuki Nishida, Koki Kawazoe, Kota Ono, Haruto Kumamoto, Yuki Kurauchi, Hiroshi Katsuki
Journal of Pharmacological Sciences August 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2026.05.004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Mice |
| Interventions | corticosterone ketamine |
| Duration | Three weeks of corticosterone exposure |
| Topics | Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Conflict behavior Corticosterone |
| Key findings | Chronic corticosterone exposure increased conflict behavior in mice and abolished the anticonflict effect of ketamine. |
Abstract
Animals must balance reward seeking against potential danger, and impairments in such conflict decision-making are common in psychiatric disorders. Here, we examined how chronic corticosterone exposure and ketamine affect conflict behavior in mice by presenting them with a three-compartment conflict task. Three weeks of corticosterone increased conflict levels without inducing anhedonia, selectively prolonging action initiation. Ketamine reduced conflict in control mice but not in corticosterone-treated mice, indicating that stress abolishes its anticonflict effect. These findings suggest that chronic stress biases conflict-related behavior and disrupts ketamine-responsive mechanisms.
Comparable studies
Other preclinical and animal studies on ketamine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| mTOR-Dependent Synapse Formation Underlies the Rapid Antidepressant Effects of NMDA Antagonists Rats | 2010 | Observational study | |
| Activation of Glutamatergic Neurotransmission by Ketamine: A Novel Step in the Pathway from NMDA Receptor Blockade to Dopaminergic and Cognitive Disruptions Associated with the Prefrontal Cortex Conscious rats | 1997 | Dose-response study with microdialysis and behavioral testing | |
| NMDAR inhibition-independent antidepressant actions of ketamine metabolites Mice | 2016 | Preclinical study | |
| The dissociative anaesthetics, ketamine and phencyclidine, selectively reduce excitation of central mammalian neurones by N‐methyl‐aspartate Spinal neurons in decerebrate or pentobarbitone-anaesthetized cats and rats | 1983 | Experimental study | |
| R-ketamine: a rapid-onset and sustained antidepressant without psychotomimetic side effects Mice | 2015 | Experimental study |
Citations in the library
Cites 3
- Synaptic Dysfunction in Depression: Potential Therapeutic Targets Science October 4, 2012
- Sustained antidepressant effect of ketamine through NMDAR trapping in the LHb Nature October 18, 2023
- Sustained rescue of prefrontal circuit dysfunction by antidepressant-induced spine formation Science April 12, 2019