M100907, a selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonist and a potential antipsychotic drug, facilitates N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor mediated neurotransmission in the rat medial prefrontal cortical neurons in vitro

Serotonergic Neuromodulation of Synaptic Plasticity

Synaptic plasticity constitutes a fundamental process in the reorganization of neural networks that underlie memory, cognition, emotional responses, and behavioral planning. At the core of this phenomenon lie Hebbian mechanisms, wherein frequent synaptic stimulation induces long-term potentiation (LTP), while less activation leads to long-term depression (LTD). The synaptic reorganization of neuronal networks is regulated by serotonin (5-HT), a neuromodulator capable of modify synaptic plasticity to appropriately respond to mental and behavioral states, such as alertness, attention, concentration, motivation, and mood. Lately, understanding the serotonergic Neuromodulation of synaptic plasticity has become imperative for unraveling its impact on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functions. Through a comparative analysis across three main forebrain structures-the hippocampus, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex, this review discusses the actions of 5-HT on synaptic plasticity, offering insights into its role as a neuromodulator involved in emotional and cognitive functions. By distinguishing between plastic and metaplastic effects, we provide a comprehensive overview about the mechanisms of 5-HT neuromodulation of synaptic plasticity and associated functions across different brain regions.

Efficacy of 5-HT2A antagonists on negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia: A meta-analysis

Negative symptoms have a major impact on the prognosis of schizophrenia, but have proven more difficult to improve or treat with antipsychotic medication. The aim of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the efficacy of 5-HT2A antagonist treatments on negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. After a systematic search, all randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trials evaluating the efficacy of 5-HT2A antagonists were included. Standardized mean differences were calculated between quantitative data from treatment and placebo groups, and odds ratios were calculated between qualitative data from treatment and placebo groups. Ten studies were included in the analysis. A significantly greater decrease in negative symptoms and global symptomatology was found in the 5-HT2A antagonist group compared with the placebo group, but no difference was found for positive symptoms. At the end of the studies, a lower extra-pyramidal symptoms score was found in the 5-HT2A antagonist group. No significant difference was found for the drop-out rate or for the rate of serious adverse effects, but a higher rate of treatment-emergent adverse effects was found in the 5-HT2A antagonist group. Our meta-analysis shows that 5-HT2A antagonists demonstrate a favorable benefit/risk profile and could be useful in the treatment of negative symptoms in patients with schizophrenia.

5-HT2A receptor dysregulation in a schizophrenia relevant mouse model of NMDA receptor hypofunction

Blockade of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR) is known to augment cortical serotonin 2A receptors (5-HT2ARs), which is implicated in psychosis. However, the pathways from NMDAR hypofunction to 5-HT2AR up-regulation are unclear. Here we addressed in mice whether genetic deletion of the indispensable NMDAR-subunit Grin1 principally in corticolimbic parvalbumin-positive fast-spiking interneurons, could up-regulate 5-HT2ARs leading to cortical hyper-excitability. First, in vivo local-field potential recording revealed that auditory cortex in Grin1 mutant mice became hyper-excitable upon exposure to acoustic click-train stimuli that release 5-HT in the cortex. This excitability increase was reproduced ex vivo where it consisted of an increased frequency of action potential (AP) firing in layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons of mutant auditory cortex. Application of the 5-HT2AR agonist TCB-2 produced similar results. The effect of click-trains was reversed by the 5-HT2AR antagonist M100907 both in vivo and ex vivo. Increase in AP frequency of pyramidal neurons was also reversed by application of Gαq protein inhibitor BIM-46187 and G protein-gated inwardly-rectifying K⁺ (GIRK) channel activator ML297. In fast-spiking interneurons, 5-HT2AR activation normally promotes GABA release, contributing to decreased excitability of postsynaptic pyramidal neurons, which was missing in the mutants. Moreover, unlike the controls, the GABA_A receptor antagonist (+)-bicuculline had little effect on AP frequency of mutant pyramidal neurons, indicating a disinhibition state. These results suggest that the auditory-induced hyper-excitable state is conferred via GABA release deficits from Grin1-lacking interneurons leading to 5-HT2AR dysregulation and GIRK channel suppression in cortical pyramidal neurons, which could be involved in auditory psychosis.

Pimavanserin augments the efficacy of atypical antipsychotic drugs in a mouse model of treatment-refractory negative symptoms of schizophrenia

Negative symptoms are a core, pervasive, and often treatment-refractory phenotype of schizophrenia, one which contributes to poor functional outcome, ability to work, pursue educational goals, and quality of life, as well as caretaker burden. Improvement of negative symptoms in some patients with schizophrenia has been reported with some atypical antipsychotic drugs [AAPDs], but improvement is absent in many patients and partial in others. Therefore, more effective treatments are needed, and better preclinical models of negative symptoms are needed to identify them. Sub-chronic [sc] treatment of rodents with phencyclidine [PCP], a noncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate [NMDAR] antagonist, produces deficits in social interactions [SI] that have been widely studied as a model of negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Acute restraint stress [ARS] also provides a model of treatment-refractory negative symptoms [TRS] to AAPDs. By themselves, in sc-PCP mice, the AAPDs, risperidone, olanzapine, and aripiprazole, but not the selective 5-HT_2AR inverse agonist, pimavanserin [PIM], rescued the SI deficit in sc-PCP mice, as did the combination of PIM with sub-effective doses of each of these AAPDs. These three AAPDs alone did not rescue SI deficit in sc-PCP+2h-ARS mice, indicating these mice were treatment refractory. However, co-administration of PIM with any of the AAPDs significantly restored SI in these mice. PIM may be an effective adjunctive therapy for treating negative symptoms of schizophrenia in some patients who have failed to respond to AAPDs, but further studies are needed.

Pimavanserin Promotes Trophic Factor Release and Protects Cultured Primary Dopaminergic Neurons Exposed to MPP+ in a GDNF-Dependent Manner

Neurodegeneration and impaired neural development are a common feature of many neuropsychiatric disorders. Second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) and certain atypical antidepressants display neuroprotective effects. Though these drugs interact with many molecular targets, a common shared attribute is high antagonist potency at 5-HT_2A receptors. Pimavanserin is a selective 5-HT_2A inverse agonist/antagonist that was recently FDA approved for treating hallucinations and delusions associated with Parkinson's disease. Unlike SGAs, pimavanserin lacks activity at other targets like dopamine, histamine, muscarinic, and adrenergic receptors. To investigate whether selective 5-HT_2A inverse agonists have neuroprotective properties, pimavanserin and another selective 5-HT_2A inverse agonist, M100907, were applied to primary cultures of dopaminergic neurons treated with 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+). Both pimavanserin and M100907 protected dopaminergic neurons against MPP+-induced cell death. The neuroprotective effects of pimavanserin required signaling through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 pathway, restored mitochondrial function, and reduced oxidative stress. Further investigation showed that pimavanserin promotes the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and that the neuroprotective effects of pimavanserin were blocked by antibodies to GDNF but not by anti-tyrosine receptor kinase B receptor antibodies. Thus, pimavanserin induces release of neurotrophic factors and protects dopaminergic neurons against MPP+ toxicity in a GDNF-dependent manner.

Relevance of 5-HT2A Receptor Modulation of Pyramidal Cell Excitability for Dementia-Related Psychosis: Implications for Pharmacotherapy

Psychosis occurs across a wide variety of dementias with differing etiologies, including Alzheimer's dementia, Parkinson's dementia, Lewy body dementia, frontotemporal dementia, and vascular dementia. Pimavanserin, a selective serotonin 5-HT_2A receptor (5-HT_2AR) inverse agonist, has shown promising results in clinical trials by reducing the frequency and/or severity of hallucinations and delusions and the risk of relapse of these symptoms in patients with dementia-related psychosis. A literature review was conducted to identify mechanisms that explain the role of 5-HT_2ARs in both the etiology and treatment of dementia-related psychosis. This review revealed that most pathological changes commonly associated with neurodegenerative diseases cause one or more of the following events to occur: reduced synaptic contact of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic interneurons with glutamatergic pyramidal cells, reduced cortical innervation from subcortical structures, and altered 5-HT_2AR expression levels. Each of these events promotes increased pyramidal cell hyperexcitability and disruption of excitatory/inhibitory balance, facilitating emergence of psychotic behaviors. The brain regions affected by these pathological changes largely coincide with areas expressing high levels of 5-HT_2ARs. At the cellular level, 5-HT_2ARs are most highly expressed on cortical glutamatergic pyramidal cells, where they regulate pyramidal cell excitability. The common effects of different neurodegenerative diseases on pyramidal cell excitability together with the close anatomical and functional connection of 5-HT_2ARs to pyramidal cell excitability may explain why suppressing 5-HT_2AR activity could be an effective strategy to treat dementia-related psychosis.

Neural connection supporting endogenous 5-hydroxytryptamine influence on autonomic activity in medial prefrontal cortex

5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) transmission in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) enhances or suppresses signal outflow to influence emotion-/cognition-based function performances and, putatively, the autonomic responses. The top-down cortical modulation of autonomic activities may be mediated in part through projections from mPFC to brain stem dorsal vagal complex (DVC). The abundant and heterogeneous densities of 5-HT fibers across laminae in mPFC suggest serotonergic innervation of mPFC-DVC projection neurons whereby endogenous 5-HT acts to regulate autonomic activities. The present study investigated the physical relationship between 5-HT fibers and the autonomic-related mPFC neurons by examining and quantitatively characterizing the 5-HT contacts upon retrogradely labeled mPFC-DVC projection neurons in pre- and infra-limbic cortices (PrL/IL) with light and electron microscopies combined with immunocytochemistry for 5-HT and presynaptic vesicle marker synaptophysin (Syn). 5-HT varicosities were observed, under confocal microscope, to form close appositions to or, at ultrastructural level, to form asymmetric axodendritic synapses and direct contacts upon the target neurons. About 16% of the entire 5-HTergic varicosities in lamina V of PrL/IL coexpressed Syn and about 24% of the peri-somatic 5-HTergic swellings demonstrated Syn-immunoreactivity (ir), suggesting a low frequency of putative synapses estimated at optical level. Ultrastructurally, examination of thirty-seven serially cut thin 5-HT boutons closely apposed to the labeled dendritic profiles demonstrated that only three contacts presented with identifiable asymmetric, synaptic membrane specializations. These data provide the first and direct morphological evidence supporting that endogenous 5-HT may be released mainly via direct contacts bearing no identifiable synaptic specializations as well as synapses, targeting autonomic-related mPFC neurons for autonomic regulation.

Evaluation of guanfacine as a potential medication for alcohol use disorder in long-term drinking rats: behavioral and electrophysiological findings

One of the main treatment challenges in alcohol use disorder (AUD) is the high rate of craving in combination with decreased cognitive functioning including impaired decision making and impulse control that often lead to relapse. Recent studies show that guanfacine, an α-2-adrenoceptor agonist and FDA-approved ADHD medication, attenuates stress-induced relapse of several drugs of abuse including alcohol. Here we evaluated guanfacine's effects on voluntary alcohol intake, the alcohol deprivation effect (ADE), alcohol seeking behavior, and cue/priming-induced reinstatement in Wistar rats that had voluntarily consumed alcohol for at least 2 months before treatment. In addition, guanfacine's ability to regulate glutamatergic neurotransmission was evaluated through electrophysiological recordings in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) slices prepared from long-term drinking rats (and alcohol-naive controls) that had received three daily guanfacine (0.6 mg/kg/day) or vehicle injections in vivo. Guanfacine decreased alcohol intake in high, but not low, alcohol-consuming rats and the effects were generally more long lasting than that of the AUD medication naltrexone. Repeated guanfacine treatment induced a long-lasting decrease in alcohol intake, persistent up to five drinking sessions after the last injection. In addition, guanfacine attenuated the ADE as well as alcohol seeking and cue/priming-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking. Finally, subchronic guanfacine treatment normalized an alcohol-induced dysregulated glutamatergic neurotransmission in the mPFC. These results support previous studies showing that guanfacine has the ability to improve prefrontal connectivity through modulation of the glutamatergic system. Together with the fact that guanfacine appears to be clinically safe, these results merit evaluation of guanfacine's clinical efficacy in AUD individuals.

The novel α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist EVP-6124 enhances dopamine, acetylcholine, and glutamate efflux in rat cortex and nucleus accumbens

BACKGROUND

Alpha7 and α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonists have been shown to improve cognition in various animal models of cognitive impairment and are of interest as treatments for schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, and other cognitive disorders. Increased release of dopamine (DA), acetylcholine (ACh), glutamate (Glu), and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and nucleus accumbens (NAC) has been suggested to contribute to their beneficial effects on cognition.

RESULTS

Using in vivo microdialysis, we found that EVP-6124 [(R)-7-chloro-N-quinuclidin-3-yl)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide], a high-affinity α7 nAChR partial agonist, at 0.1 mg/kg, s.c., increased DA efflux in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and NAC. EVP-6124, 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg, also increased efflux of ACh in the mPFC but not in the NAC. Similarly, EVP-6124, 0.1 mg/kg, but not 0.03 and 0.3 mg/kg, significantly increased mPFC Glu efflux. Thus, EVP-6124 produced an inverted U-shaped curve for DA and Glu release, as previously reported for other α7 nAChR agonists. The three doses of EVP-6124 did not produce a significant effect on GABA efflux in either region. Pretreatment with the selective α7 nAChR antagonist, methyllycaconitine (MLA, 1.0 mg/kg), significantly blocked cortical DA and Glu efflux induced by EVP-6124 (0.1 mg/kg), suggesting that the effects of EVP-6124 on these neurotransmitters were due to α7 nAChR agonism. MLA only partially blocked the effects of EVP-6124 on ACh efflux in the mPFC.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest increased cortical DA, ACh, and Glu release, which may contribute to the ability of the α7 nAChR agonist, EVP-6124, to treat cognitive impairment and possibly other dimensions of psychopathology.

Co-administration of 5-HT6 receptor antagonists with clozapine, risperidone, and a 5-HT2A receptor antagonist: effects on prepulse inhibition in rats

RATIONALE

Some novel antipsychotics manifest antagonistic activity at serotonin-6 receptors; however, little is known about the role of 5-HT6 receptors in ameliorating sensory gating deficits.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated the effects of the combined administration of the 5-HT6 receptor antagonist SB 271046 with clozapine and haloperidol, as well as the co-administration of SB 271046 or SB 399885 with risperidone and the 5-HT2A antagonist M100907, to overcome the deficits induced by MK-801 in the prepulse inhibition (PPI) test.

RESULTS

MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg) produced reliable PPI deficits. Administration of SB 271046 (6 and 9 mg/kg), SB 399885 (3 and 6 mg/kg), clozapine (2.5 mg/kg), haloperidol (0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg), risperidone (0.25-1 mg/kg), and M100907 (0.5 and 1 mg/kg) did not affect the MK-801-induced deficits, but the administration of clozapine (5 mg/kg) did reverse the effects of MK-801. In MK-801-treated rats, the co-administration of inactive doses of clozapine (2.5 mg/kg) and SB 271046 (6 mg/kg) reversed the PPI impairments compared to animals that were administered inactive doses of either clozapine or SB 271046 alone. Co-administration of risperidone (1 mg/kg) or M100907 (0.5 mg/kg) with SB 271046 (6 mg/kg) or SB 399885 (3 mg/kg) also attenuated the MK-801-induced PPI deficits. In contrast, joint administration of haloperidol and SB 271046 had no effect on the PPI deficit.

CONCLUSION

The present results suggest that the 5-HT6 receptors may play adjunctive roles in antipsychotic drug action, and that the combination of 5-HT2A and 5-HT6 antagonism may represent an important element in the pharmacological profile of antipsychotic drugs.

Translating the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist model of schizophrenia to treatments for cognitive impairment in schizophrenia

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists, phencyclidine (PCP), dizocilpine (MK-801), or ketamine, given subchronically (sc) to rodents and primates, produce prolonged deficits in cognitive function, including novel object recognition (NOR), an analog of human declarative memory, one of the cognitive domains impaired in schizophrenia. Atypical antipsychotic drugs (AAPDs) have been reported to improve declarative memory in some patients with schizophrenia, as well as to ameliorate and prevent the NOR deficit in rodents following scNMDAR antagonist treatment. While the efficacy of AAPDs to improve cognitive impairment in schizophrenia (CIS) is limited, at best, and controversial, single doses of all currently available AAPDs so far tested transiently restore NOR in rodents following scNMDAR antagonist treatment. Typical antipsychotic drugs (APDs), e.g. haloperidol and perphenazine, are ineffective in this rodent model, and may be less effective as treatments of some domains of CIS. Serotonergic mechanisms, including, but not limited to serotonin (5-HT)2A and 5-HT7 antagonism, 5-HT(1A), and GABA(A) agonism, contribute to the efficacy of the AAPDs in the scNMDAR antagonist rodent models, which are relevant to the loss of GABA interneuron/hyperglutamate hypothesis of the etiology of CIS. The ability of sub-effective doses of the atypical APDs to ameliorate NOR in the scNMDAR-treated rodents can be restored by the addition of a sub-effective dose of the 5-HT(1A) partial agonist, tandospirone, or the 5-HT7 antagonist, SB269970. The mGluR2/3 agonist, LY379268, which itself is unable to restore NOR in the scNMDAR-treated rodents, can also restore NOR when given with lurasidone, an AAPD. Enhancing cortical and hippocampal dopamine and acetylcholine efflux, or both, may contribute to the restoration of NOR by the atypical APDs. Importantly, co-administration of lurasidone, tandospirone, or SB269970, with PCP, to rodents, at doses 5-10 fold greater than those acutely effective to restore NOR following scNMDAR treatment, prevents the effect of scPCP to produce an enduring deficit in NOR. This difference in dosage may be relevant to utilizing AAPDs to prevent the onset of CIS in individuals at high risk for developing schizophrenia. The scNMDAR paradigm may be useful for identifying possible means to treat and prevent CIS.

A multifunctional pipette for localized drug administration to brain slices

We have developed a superfusion method utilizing an open-volume microfluidic device for administration of pharmacologically active substances to selected areas in brain slices with high spatio-temporal resolution. The method consists of a hydrodynamically confined flow of the active chemical compound, which locally stimulates neurons in brain slices, applied in conjunction with electrophysiological recording techniques to analyze the response. The microfluidic device, which is a novel free-standing multifunctional pipette, allows diverse superfusion experiments, such as testing the effects of different concentrations of drugs or drug candidates on neurons in different cell layers with high positional accuracy, affecting only a small number of cells. We demonstrate herein the use of the method with electrophysiological recordings of pyramidal cells in hippocampal and prefrontal cortex brain slices from rats, determine the dependence of electric responses on the distance of the superfusion device from the recording site, document a multifold gain in solution exchange time as compared to whole slice perfusion, and show that the device is able to store and deliver up to four solutions in a series. Localized solution delivery by means of open-volume microfluidic technology also reduces reagent consumption and tissue culture expenses significantly, while allowing more data to be collected from a single tissue slice, thus reducing the number of laboratory animals to be sacrificed for a study.

Deficits in LTP induction by 5-HT2A receptor antagonist in a mouse model for fragile X syndrome

Fragile X syndrome is a common inherited form of mental retardation caused by the lack of fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) because of Fmr1 gene silencing. Serotonin (5-HT) is significantly increased in the null mutants of Drosophila Fmr1, and elevated 5-HT brain levels result in cognitive and behavioral deficits in human patients. The serotonin type 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) is highly expressed in the cerebral cortex; it acts on pyramidal cells and GABAergic interneurons to modulate cortical functions. 5-HT2AR and FMRP both regulate synaptic plasticity. Therefore, the lack of FMRP may affect serotoninergic activity. In this study, we determined the involvement of FMRP in the 5-HT modulation of synaptic potentiation with the use of primary cortical neuron culture and brain slice recording. Pharmacological inhibition of 5-HT2AR by R-96544 or ketanserin facilitated long-term potentiation (LTP) in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of WT mice. The prefrontal LTP induction was dependent on the activation of NMDARs and elevation of postsynaptic Ca²⁺ concentrations. By contrast, inhibition of 5-HT2AR could not restore the induction of LTP in the ACC of Fmr1 knock-out mice. Furthermore, 5-HT2AR inhibition induced AMPA receptor GluR1 subtype surface insertion in the cultured ACC neurons of Fmr1 WT mice, however, GluR1 surface insertion by inhibition of 5-HT2AR was impaired in the neurons of Fmr1KO mice. These findings suggested that FMRP was involved in serotonin receptor signaling and contributed in GluR1 surface expression induced by 5-HT2AR inactivation.

Differential effects of AMPA receptor potentiators and glycine reuptake inhibitors on antipsychotic efficacy and prefrontal glutamatergic transmission

RATIONALE

The α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor positive allosteric modulators (AMPA-PAMs), Org 24448 and Org 26576, and the glycine transporter-1 (GlyT-1) inhibitor Org 25935 are developed for treatment of schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVES

Here we examined experimentally the ability of co-administration of these AMPA-PAMs or the GlyT-1 inhibitor to augment the antipsychotic activity and effect on cortical N-methyl-D: -aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated transmission of risperidone, olanzapine, or haloperidol.

METHODS

We examined antipsychotic efficacy using the conditioned avoidance response (CAR) test, extrapyramidal side effect liability using a catalepsy test, and cortical NMDA receptor-mediated glutamatergic transmission using intracellular electrophysiological recording technique in vitro.

RESULTS

Both AMPA-PAMs enhanced the suppression of CAR induced by risperidone or olanzapine, and Org 24448 also enhanced the effect of haloperidol. In contrast, the GlyT-1 inhibitor did not cause any behaviorally significant effect in the CAR test. However, the GlyT-1 inhibitor, but not the AMPA-PAMs, produced a large facilitation of NMDA-induced currents. All three drugs potentiated the effect of risperidone but not haloperidol on these currents. The GlyT-1 inhibitor also facilitated the effect of olanzapine. All drugs potentiated the effect of risperidone on electrically stimulated excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP) in cortical pyramidal cells, whereas only the GlyT inhibitor facilitated the effect of olanzapine.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the AMPA-PAMs, when compared to the GlyT-1 inhibitor, show differential effects in terms of augmentation of antipsychotic efficacy, particularly when combined with risperidone or olanzapine. Both AMPA-PAMs and the GlyT-1 inhibitor may also improve negative symptoms and cognitive impairments in schizophrenia, in particular when combined with risperidone.

Alstonine as an antipsychotic: effects on brain amines and metabolic changes

Managing schizophrenia has never been a trivial matter. Furthermore, while classical antipsychotics induce extrapyramidal side effects and hyperprolactinaemia, atypical antipsychotics lead to diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, and weight gain. Moreover, even with newer drugs, a sizable proportion of patients do not show significant improvement. Alstonine is an indole alkaloid identified as the major component of a plant-based remedy used in Nigeria to treat the mentally ill. Alstonine presents a clear antipsychotic profile in rodents, apparently with differential effects in distinct dopaminergic pathways. The aim of this study was to complement the antipsychotic profile of alstonine, verifying its effects on brain amines in mouse frontal cortex and striatum. Additionally, we examined if alstonine induces some hormonal and metabolic changes common to antipsychotics. HPLC data reveal that alstonine increases serotonergic transmission and increases intraneuronal dopamine catabolism. In relation to possible side effects, preliminary data suggest that alstonine does not affect prolactin levels, does not induce gains in body weight, but prevents the expected fasting-induced decrease in glucose levels. Overall, this study reinforces the proposal that alstonine is a potential innovative antipsychotic, and that a comprehensive understanding of its neurochemical basis may open new avenues to developing newer antipsychotic medications.

Colocalisation of serotonin2A receptors with the glutamate receptor subunits NR1 and GluR2 in the dentate gyrus: an ultrastructural study of a modulatory role

The serotonin(2A) receptor (5-HT(2A)R) is implicated in many neurological disorders and has a role in cognitive processes, reliant upon hippocampal glutamate receptors. Recent studies show that 5-HT(2A)R agonists and/or antagonists can influence cognitive function, suggesting a critical hippocampal role for these receptors, yet their cellular and subcellular distribution within this region has not been comprehensively analysed. Here, we have conducted an electron microscopic examination of 5-HT(2A)R distribution with the glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazoleproprionic acid (AMPA) receptor subunits NR1 and GluR2 in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) in order to investigate whether 5-HT(2A)R location is compatible with a modulatory role over NMDA and/or AMPA receptor mediated neurotransmission. Of 5-HT(2A)R positive profiles, 56% were dendrites and 16% were dendritic spines. Labelling was both cytoplasmic and membranous. Spinous labelling was more frequently membranous at peri- and extra-synaptic sites, though was also associated with synaptic specialisations. Profiles displaying colocalisation of immunoreactivity for 5-HT(2A)Rs with NR1 or GluR2 were predominantly dendrites, representing 11% and 8% of 5-HT(2A)R positive profiles, respectively. Additionally, 12% of 5-HT(2A)R labelled profiles also displayed immunoreactivity for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). These data indicate most 5-HT(2A)Rs are expressed on granule cell projections, with a smaller subpopulation expressed on GABAergic interneurons.

Selective 5HT2A and 5HT6 receptor antagonists promote sleep in rats

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Serotonin (5-HT) has long been implicated in the control of sleep and wakefulness. This study evaluated the hypnotic efficacy of the 5-HT6 antagonist RO4368554 (RO) and the 5-HT2A receptor antagonist MDL100907 (MDL) relative to zolpidem.

DESIGN

A randomized, repeated-measures design was utilized in which Wistar rats received intraperitoneal injections of RO (1.0, 3.0, and 10 mg/kg), MDL (0.1, 1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg), zolpidem (10 mg/kg), or vehicle in the middle of the dark (active) period. Electroencephalogram, electromyogram, body temperature (Tb) and locomotor activity were analyzed for 6 hours after injection.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

RO, MDL, and zolpidem all produced significant increases in sleep and decreases in waking, compared with vehicle control. All 3 doses of MDL produced more consolidated sleep, increased non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM) sleep, and increased electroencephalographic delta power during NREM sleep. The highest dose of RO (10.0 mg/kg) produced significant increases in sleep and decreases in waking during hour 2 following dosing. These increases in sleep duration were associated with greater delta power during NREM sleep. ZO Zolpidem induced sleep with the shortest latency and significantly increased NREM sleep and delta power but also suppressed rapid eye movement sleep sleep; in contrast, neither RO nor MDL affected rapid eye movement sleep. Whereas RO did not affect Tb, both zolpidem and MDL reduced Tb relative to vehicle-injected controls.

CONCLUSIONS

These results support a role for 5-HT2A receptor modulation in NREM sleep and suggest a previously unrecognized role for 5-HT6 receptors in sleep-wake regulation.

Asenapine, a novel psychopharmacologic agent: preclinical evidence for clinical effects in schizophrenia

RATIONALE

Asenapine is a novel psychopharmacologic agent being developed for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of asenapine using animal models predictive of antipsychotic efficacy (conditioned avoidance response [CAR]) and extrapyramidal side effects (EPS; catalepsy). In parallel, the effects of asenapine on regional dopamine output using in vivo microdialysis in freely moving rats, dopamine output in the core and shell subregions of nucleus accumbens (NAc) using in vivo voltammetry in anesthetized rats, and N-methyl-D: -aspartate (NMDA)-induced currents in pyramidal neurons of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) using the electrophysiological technique intracellular recording in vitro were assessed.

RESULTS

Asenapine (0.05-0.2 mg/kg, subcutaneous [s.c.]) induced a dose-dependent suppression of CAR (no escape failures recorded) and did not induce catalepsy. Asenapine (0.05-0.2 mg/kg, s.c.) increased dopamine efflux in both the mPFC and the NAc. Low-dose asenapine (0.01 mg/kg, intravenous [i.v.]) increased dopamine efflux preferentially in the shell compared to the core of NAc, whereas at a higher dose (0.05 mg/kg, i.v.), the difference disappeared. Finally, like clozapine (100 nM), but at a considerably lower concentration (5 nM), asenapine significantly potentiated the NMDA-induced responses in pyramidal cells of the mPFC.

CONCLUSIONS

These preclinical data suggest that asenapine may exhibit highly potent antipsychotic activity with very low EPS liability. Its ability to increase both dopaminergic and glutamatergic activity in rat mPFC suggests that asenapine may possess an advantageous effect not only on positive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia, but also on negative and cognitive symptoms.

Discriminative stimulus effects of 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphenyl)-2-aminopropane in rhesus monkeys

Discriminative stimulus effects of 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOM) and related drugs have been studied extensively in rodents, although the generality of those findings across species is not known. The goals of this study were to see whether monkeys could discriminate DOM and to characterize the DOM discriminative stimulus by studying a variety of drugs, including those with hallucinogenic activity in humans. Four rhesus monkeys discriminated between 0.32 mg/kg s.c. DOM and vehicle after an average of 116 (range = 85-166) sessions while responding under a fixed ratio 5 schedule of stimulus shock termination. Increasing doses of DOM occasioned increased responding on the drug lever with the training dose occasioning DOM-lever responding for up to 2 h. The serotonin (5-HT)(2A/2C) receptor antagonists ritanserin and ketanserin, the 5-HT(2A) receptor antagonist (+)2,3-dimethoxyphenyl-1-[2-(4-piperidine)-methanol] (MDL100907), and its (-)stereoisomer MDL100009 [(-)2,3-dimethoxyphenyl-1-[2-(4-piperidine)-methanol], but not haloperidol, completely blocked the discriminative stimulus effects of DOM. Quipazine as well as several drugs with hallucinogenic activity in humans, including (+)lysergic acid diethylamide, (-)DOM, and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-(n)-propylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-7), occasioned DOM-lever responding. The kappa-opioid receptor agonists U-50488 and salvinorin A (a hallucinogen) did not exert DOM-like effects and neither did ketamine, phencyclidine, amphetamine, methamphetamine, cocaine, morphine, yohimbine, fenfluramine, 8-hydroxy-2-(dipropylamino)tetralin hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT), or (+/-)-2-(N-phenethyl-N-1'-propyl)amino-5-hydroxytetralin hydrochloride (N-0434). These data confirm in nonhuman primates a prominent role for 5-HT(2A) receptors in the discriminative stimulus effects of some drugs with hallucinogenic activity in humans. The failure of another drug with hallucinogenic activity (salvinorin A) to substitute for DOM indicates that different classes of hallucinogens exert qualitatively different discriminative stimulus effects in nonhumans.

Alterations of hippocampal and prefrontal GABAergic interneurons in an animal model of psychosis induced by NMDA receptor antagonism

Some behavioral symptoms and neuropathological features of schizophrenia, like alterations of local GABAergic interneurons, could be emulated in an animal model of psychosis based on prolonged low-dose exposure to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, e.g. MK-801. Employing this model, we examined distinct subpopulations of GABAergic interneurons within the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Compared to saline control, animals receiving MK-801 exhibited a decreased density of hippocampal parvalbumin-positive interneurons. A co-administration of the antipsychotic drug haloperidol ameliorated this effect of MK-801 on PV(+) interneurons in the hippocampus, but led to a marked reduction of PV immunoreactivity in the prefrontal cortex, when comparing with saline, MK-801 or haloperidol treatment alone. Neither calretinin immunoreactivity nor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-diaphorase staining, representing neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity mostly detectable in interneurons, was altered by either treatment. With special reference to the hippocampus, these data show that a prolonged application of low-dose NMDA receptor antagonist could, in part, mimic some neuropathologic findings in human schizophrenia, thus strengthening the idea that (sub-) chronic NMDA receptor antagonism in animals is a viable approach in mimicking aspects of schizophrenia. Moreover, this study provides further evidence for regional differences in the response of GABAergic interneurons to NMDA receptor antagonism and antipsychotic treatment.

Risperidone attenuates MK-801-induced hyperlocomotion in mice via the blockade of serotonin 5-HT2A/2C receptors

Glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, like phencyclidine (PCP), elicit schizophrenia-like symptoms in humans and behavioral abnormalities in animals, such as hyperactivity. We investigated the effect of the atypical antipsychotic risperidone on hyperlocomotion produced in mice by 5R,10S-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]-cyclohepten-5,10-imine hydrogen maleate (MK-801), an NMDA receptor antagonist. MK-801 (0.125, 0.25, 0.50 mg/kg) dose-dependently increased the total distance traveled in an open field during a 90 min period in mice. The increase in MK-801 (0.25 mg/kg)-induced total distance traveled was attenuated by pretreatment with risperidone at doses that alone had no effect on spontaneous locomotor activity. Furthermore, (+/-)-1-(2, 5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane hydrochloride (DOI), a serotonin 5-HT(2A/2C) receptor agonist, at the doses that failed to change spontaneous locomotor activity or hyperlocomotion induced by MK-801, reversed the attenuation by risperidone. The serotonin 5-HT(2A/2C) receptor antagonist, ritanserin, enhanced the inhibitory effect of risperidone. These findings indicate that risperidone attenuates MK-801-induced hyperlocomotion in mice by blocking serotonin 5-HT(2A/2C) receptors.

Different effects of a single and repeated administration of clozapine on phencyclidine-induced hyperlocomotion and glutamate releases in the rat medial prefrontal cortex at short- and long-term withdrawal from this antipsychotic

Clozapine is a prototype of atypical antipsychotics that has a profile not only to block D(2)/5-HT(2A) receptors but also to enhance N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated glutamatergic neurotransmission. This study hypothesized different effects between a single and repeated administration of clozapine on NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission, and examined effects of these treatments of clozapine on a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, phencyclidine (PCP)-induced hyperlocomotion and acute increases in glutamate levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), after short- and long-term withdrawal from this antipsychotic. Locomotor activity and extracellular levels of glutamate were measured by an infrared sensor and in vivo microdialysis respectively. A single administration of clozapine attenuated PCP-induced hyperlocomotion and blocked PCP-induced increases in glutamate levels in the mPFC at 48 hours, but not 11 days after the injection of clozapine. Repeated administration of clozapine attenuated PCP-induced hyperlocomotion not only at 48 hours, but also 11 days after the last injection of clozapine, with blocking PCP-induced increases in glutamate levels in the mPFC. Both a single and repeated administration of clozapine had no effect on methamphetamine (METH)-induced hyperlocomotion at 48 hours or 11 days after the treatment of clozapine. Considering fast dissociation of clozapine from dopamine D(2) receptors and no effect of a single or repeated administration of clozapine on METH-induced hyperlocomotion, the attenuated PCP-induced hyperlocomotion by a single and repeated clozapine treatments cannot be explained by clozapine occupancy of dopamine D(2) receptors. Repeated but not a single administration of clozapine inhibited a 5-HT(2A/2C) agonist, DOI-induced increases in the mPFC 11 days after the last injection of clozapine. These findings suggest that subchronically treated clozapine-induced long-lasting downregulation of 5-HT(2A) receptors may block the enhanced PCP-induced neurochemical and behavioral changes.

Role of the simultaneous enhancement of NMDA and dopamine D1 receptor-mediated neurotransmission in the effects of clozapine on phencyclidine-induced acute increases in glutamate levels in the rat medial prefrontal cortex

Clozapine (CLZ) can improve both the positive and negative symptoms of treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), which does not respond to typical antipsychotics. This suggests that elucidation of the pharmacological mechanism for CLZ could lead to further clarification of the pathophysiology of TRS. This study examined the effects of CLZ on phencyclidine (PCP)-induced hyperlocomotion and on the acute increases in glutamate levels that occur in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in order to test the hypothesis that CLZ effect is associated with the simultaneous enhancement of N-methyl-D: -aspartate (NMDA) and dopamine D(1) receptor-mediated neurotransmission. CLZ effect on PCP-induced hyperlocomotion and increases in glutamate levels were examined by using behavioral rating scores and in vivo microdialysis, respectively. CLZ and haloperidol (HAL) dose-relatedly attenuated PCP-induced hyperlocomotion, and concentration-relatedly blocked PCP-induced acute increases in glutamate levels in the mPFC, with the decrease in saline-induced locomotor activity induced by CLZ being much weaker than that induced by HAL. CLZ also blocked, in a dose-related manner, acute increases in glutamate levels in the mPFC that were induced by local perfusion with a competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, CPP, in this region. Although an enhanced blocking effect of the sub-threshold concentration of NMDA perfusion on PCP-induced acute increases in glutamate levels in the mPFC was noted after co-perfusion with a dopamine D(1) receptor agonist, SKF-38393, perfusion with SKF-38393 did not reverse the CLZ blocking of PCP-induced increases in glutamate levels. Therefore, CLZ may block PCP-induced acute increases in glutamate levels in the mPFC by an enhancement of the NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission that is not accelerated by an enhanced dopaminergic transmission via dopamine D(1) receptors. This blocking effect may partially explain the CLZ-induced attenuation of PCP-induced hyperlocomotion.

The alkaloid alstonine: a review of its pharmacological properties

Indole compounds, related to the metabolism of tryptophan, constitute an extensive family, and are found in bacteria, plants and animals. Indolic compounds possess significant and complex physiological roles, and especially indole alkaloids have historically constituted a class of major importance in the development of new plant derived drugs. The indole alkaloid alstonine has been identified as the major component of a plant-based remedy, used in Nigeria to treat mental illnesses by traditional psychiatrists. Although it is certainly difficult to compare the very concept of mental disorders in different cultures, the traditional use of alstonine is remarkably compatible with its profile in experimental animals. Even though alstonine in mice models shows a psychopharmacological profile closer to the newer atypical antipsychotic agents, it also shows important differences and what seems to be an exclusive mechanism of action, not entirely clarified at this point. Considering the seemingly unique mode of action of alstonine and that its traditional use can be viewed as indicative of bioavailability and safety, this review focuses on the effects of alstonine in the central nervous system, particularly on its unique profile as an antipsychotic agent. We suggest that a thorough understanding of traditional medical concepts of health and disease in general and traditional medical practices in particular, can lead to true innovation in paradigms of drug action and development. Overall, the study of this unique indole alkaloid may be considered as another example of the richness of medicinal plants and traditional medical systems in the discovery of new prototypic drugs.

Inhibition of the glycine transporter GlyT-1 potentiates the effect of risperidone, but not clozapine, on glutamatergic transmission in the rat medial prefrontal cortex

Clinical studies suggest that the efficacy of the atypical antipsychotic drug (APD) risperidone (but not clozapine) can be augmented by adjunctive treatment with agonists at the glycine site of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. By using intracellular recording, we have investigated the effect of the glycine transporter-1 (GlyT-1) inhibitor N [3-(4'-fluorophenyl)-3-(4'phenylphenylphenoxy) propyl] sarcosine (NFPS) on NMDA-induced currents in pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), both when given alone and in combination with either risperidone or clozapine. Both risperidone and clozapine enhanced the NMDA-induced currents. The concentration-response curves were biphasic, and the maximal effect of clozapine on the NMDA-induced currents was significantly larger than the maximal effect of risperidone. NFPS also significantly potentiated the NMDA-induced currents, when given alone. Moreover, NFPS (1 microM) augmented the effect of both the maximal (20 nM), and a submaximal (10 nM), concentration of risperidone. In contrast, NFPS did not potentiate either the effect of the maximal (100 nM) or a submaximal (80 nM) concentration of clozapine on the NMDA-induced currents. These data may explain the beneficial clinical results of using glycine reuptake antagonists as adjuvant treatment to risperidone. Our findings also suggest that risperidone and clozapine may affect NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission differently in the mPFC.

Differential effects of clozapine and haloperidol on interval timing in the supraseconds range

The effects of clozapine (0.6, 1.2, and 2.4 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.03, 0.06, and 0.12 mg/kg) on the timing of 10, 30, and 90-s intervals were characterized in rats. Each drug's effect on timing behavior was assessed following intraperitoneal injections using a variant of the peak-interval procedure. Although haloperidol proportionately shifted peak times rightward in a manner consistent with a decrease in clock speed, clozapine exerted the opposite effect and proportionately shifted peak times leftward in a manner consistent with an increase in clock speed. These results support the proposal that typical antipsychotic drugs such as haloperidol and atypical antipsychotic drugs such as clozapine exert differential effects on dopaminergic, serotonergic, and glutamatergic systems within the cortex and striatum, two brain regions shown to be crucial for interval timing.

Direct evidence for expression of dopamine receptors in astrocytes from basal ganglia

Expression of dopamine receptors (DA-Rs) in astrocytes was examined in vitro and in vivo using primary cultured astrocytes and brain slices from rat basal ganglia. Astrocytes from basal ganglia expressed DA D1-, D3-, D4- and D5-receptors and D4-mediated signal transduction in response to DA, suggesting possible involvement of astrocytes in the pharmacological action of atypical antipsychotic drugs and in DA response in some neurological diseases.

Clozapine Potentiation ofN-Methyl-d-aspartate Receptor Currents in the Nucleus Accumbens: Role of NR2B and Protein Kinase A/Src Kinases

Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic that has a unique clinical profile that distinguishes it from other typical and atypical antipsychotics. At present, the underlying mechanisms of action of clozapine are unclear. Recent studies in the field of schizophrenia suggest that compounds that potentiate N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor function in the appropriate brain regions might be an effective antipsychotic agent. One relevant region in which NMDA receptors play a key role in mediating neurotransmission is the nucleus accumbens. Therefore, we investigated the regulation of NMDA receptor currents and excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) by clozapine in nucleus accumbens neurons. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed in rat brain slices. We demonstrate that bath application of clozapine but not haloperidol or the selective 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A antagonist MDL100907 [(R)-(+)-alpha-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluoro-phenyl)ethyl]-4-piperidine methanol] induces a robust potentiation of NMDA-evoked currents and of glutamatergic EPSCs and that this potentiation is dependent on dopamine release and postsynaptic activation of D1 receptors. Furthermore, the effect of clozapine is selective for NR2B subtype-containing NMDA receptors and is blocked by the selective Src family kinase inhibitor PP2 [4-amino-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-7-(t-butyl)pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine] and the protein kinase A-selective inhibitor N-[2-(p-bromocinnamylamino)ethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide but not by the protein kinase C-selective inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide I. This effect of clozapine in the nucleus accumbens might underlie the unique clinical profile of this atypical antipsychotic and provides a basis for novel treatment approaches.

Lack of pro-convulsant activity of the antipsychotic alkaloid alstonine

Psychiatry co-morbidity with epilepsy is common and often requires the combined use of psychotropic and antiepileptic drugs (AEDs). For schizophrenic patients, the occurrence of seizures with atypical agents is highest among antipsychotics, although these agents are more effective in alleviating symptoms (including negative symptoms) and are associated with fewer extrapiramidal effects. The indol alkaloid alstonine is the major component of plants used by traditional Nigerian psychiatrists as anti-dementia drugs. The alkaloid presents an experimental profile very similar to the atypical antipsychotic clozapine. This study aimed to compare the pro-convulsant activity of these two antipsychotic compounds. Through repetitive administration over a 30-day period in a kindling paradigm, it is shown that, unlike clozapine, alstonine does not possess pro-convulsant activity. The data adds to previous suggestions that alstonine deserves to be scrutinized as a model for the development of newer antipsychotics.

Anxiolytic properties of the antipsychotic alkaloid alstonine

Anxiolytic properties may be a crucial feature of newer antipsychotics associated with the improvement of negative symptoms in schizophrenic patients. The indole alkaloid alstonine acts as an atypical antipsychotic in behavioral models, but differs in its dopamine and serotonin binding profile. The purpose of this study was to verify if alstonine possesses anxiolytic properties in mice. The hole-board and light/dark models were used; moreover, the participation of D(1), 5-HT(2), NMDA and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors was likewise investigated. Alstonine clearly behaves as anxiolytic in both hole-board and light/dark situations. Pretreatment with the 5-HT(2A/2C) serotonin receptor antagonist ritanserin reverted the effects of alstonine in both the hole-board and light/dark models, suggesting the involvement of these receptors in the alstonine mechanism of action. The involvement of glutamate NMDA receptors should also be considered, given that alstonine partially reversed the increase in locomotion induced by MK-801 in the hole board, as well as MK-801-induced hyperlocomotion in motor activity apparatus.

Characterization of a novel effect of serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors: increasing cGMP levels in rat frontal cortex

Elucidating the mechanisms of action of hallucinogens has become an increasingly important area of research as their abuse has grown in recent years. Although serotonin receptors appear to play a role in the behavioral effects of the phenethylamine and indoleamine hallucinogens, the signaling pathways activated by these agents are unclear. Here it is shown that administration of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) increased cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) production in frontal cortical slices of rat brain. The effect of 5-HT was greater than that of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), a stimulant of cGMP formation in the central nervous system. The 5-HT(2A/2C) receptor phenethylamine agonist, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine (DOM), increased cGMP content in the slices. Additionally 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (DPAT), a 5-(HT1A/7) receptor agonist also increased cGMP production. Stimulation of cGMP formation by DOM was prevented by a 5-HT(2A/2C) receptor antagonist, pirenperone, as well as by a 5-HT2A receptor selective antagonist, MDL100907. A 5-HT2C receptor antagonist, SB242084, did not block the effect of DOM. Stimulation of cGMP production by DPAT was blocked by the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist, WAY100635. Stimulation of cGMP formation by serotonin could be prevented by pirenperone or WAY100635. In summary, activation of serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors increase brain cGMP levels.

The NMDA-to-AMPA ratio at synapses onto layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons is conserved across prefrontal and visual cortices

To better understand regulation of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor complements across the cortex, and to investigate NMDA receptor (NMDAR)-based models of persistent activity, we compared NMDA/AMPA ratios in prefrontal (PFC) and visual cortex (VC) in rat. Whole cell voltage-clamp responses were recorded in brain slices from layer 2/3 pyramidal cells of the medial PFC and VC of rats aged p16-p21. Mixed miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) having AMPA receptor (AMPAR)- and NMDAR-mediated components were isolated in nominally 0 Mg2+ ACSF. Averaged mEPSCs were well-fit by double exponentials. No significant differences in the NMDA/AMPA ratio (PFC: 27 +/- 1%; VC: 28 +/- 3%), peak mEPSC amplitude (PFC: 19.1 +/- 1 pA; VC: 17.5 +/- 0.7 pA), NMDAR decay kinetics (PFC: 69 +/- 8 ms; VC: 67 +/- 6 ms), or degree of correlation between NMDAR- and AMPAR-mediated mEPSC components were found between the areas (PFC: n = 27; VC: n = 28). Recordings from older rats (p26-29) also showed no differences. EPSCs were evoked extracellularly in 2 mM Mg2+ at depolarized potentials; although the average NMDA/AMPA ratio was larger than that observed for mEPSCs, the ratio was similar in the two regions. In nominally 0 Mg2+ and in the presence of CNQX, spontaneous activation of NMDAR increased recording noise and produced a small tonic depolarization which was similar in both areas. We conclude that this basic property of excitatory transmission is conserved across PFC and VC synapses and is therefore unlikely to contribute to differences in firing patterns observed in vivo in the two regions.

Serotonin type II receptor activation facilitates synaptic plasticity via N-methyl-D-aspartate-mediated mechanism in the rat basolateral amygdala

The modulation of synaptic plasticity by serotonin type II (5-hydroxytryptamine type II (5-HT(2)))-receptor stimulation was explored using intracellular, field potential and Fura-2 fluorescence image recordings in a rat amygdala slice preparation. Bath application of 5HT(2) receptor agonist 1-(2,5)-dimethoxy-4-iodophen-2-aminopropane (DOI) transformed theta-burst-stimulated (TBS) synaptic plasticity from short-term potentiation to long-term potentiation. DOI enhanced N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated potentials and calcium influx without affecting the resting membrane potential or input resistance of the neurons. In contrast, alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionate (AMPA)/kainate receptor-mediated excitatory synaptic responses were unaffected by DOI. The facilitating effects of DOI were blocked by the 5-HT(2) receptor antagonist, ketanserin, and by the 5-HT(2C)-receptor selective antagonist, RS102221. These results indicate that 5-HT(2)-receptor activation enhances NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic function in the basolateral amygdala (BLA).

Protein kinase C is involved in clozapine's facilitation of N-methyl-D-aspartate- and electrically evoked responses in pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex

We have previously shown that the atypical antipsychotic drug clozapine facilitates N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)- and electrically evoked responses in pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). In the present study, we investigated the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in the action of clozapine. Bath administration of the PKC activator phorbol-12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), but not the inactive isomer 4alpha-PMA, significantly enhanced the NMDA-evoked inward current and electrically evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents. Chelerythrine, a selective blocker of PKC, completely prevented the potentiating action produced by either clozapine or PMA on these currents in the mPFC cells. Intracellular injection of the PKC inhibitor PKC-I, but not the control substance PKC-S, through the recording electrode totally blocked clozapine's potentiating effect, indicating that a post-synaptic expressed PKC is critically involved in the augmenting action of clozapine on NMDA-evoked currents. Of the PKC inhibitor PKC-I, but not the control substance PKC-S, through the recording electrode totally blocked clozapine's potentiating effect, indicating that a post-synaptic expressed PKC is critically involved in the augmenting action of clozapine on NMDA-evoked currents. To further test the role of PKC in mediating the augmenting action of clozapine, we performed experiments in PKCgamma mutant and wild-type mice. In contrast to results in pyramidal cells from rats or wild-type mice, neither clozapine nor PMA was able to potentiate NMDA-induced currents in the mPFC from the PKCgamma mutant mice. Taken together, these results suggest that the PKC signal transduction pathway is critically involved in the facilitating action of clozapine on the NMDA-induced responses in pyramidal cells of the mPFC.

Differential effects of atypical and typical antipsychotic drugs on N-methyl-D-aspartate- and electrically evoked responses in the pyramidal cells of the rat medial prefrontal cortex

In the present study, we have demonstrated that atypical antipsychotic drugs (APDs, e.g., clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, and quetiapine) and atypical APD candidates (e.g., M100907 and Y-931) share a common property in facilitating responses evoked by electrical stimulation of the forceps minor and by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), but not (+/-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA), in pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The concentrations of these drugs to exert their action are in a clinically relevant range. Although haloperidol has shown a considerably smaller potentiation of NMDA-evoked current at 50 and 100 nM, it consistently depressed the AMPA-induced current. Chlorpromazine and loxapine failed to modulate significantly NMDA- or AMPA-induced current in the pyramidal cells. Moreover, haloperidol and loxapine demonstrated depression of excitatory postsynaptic currents, whereas chlorpromazine did not show any effect. These findings combined indicate that atypical, but not typical, APDs augment glutamatergic neurotransmission in pyramidal cells of the mPFC. We propose that the beneficial effect of atypical APDs in cognitive dysfunction and negative symptoms in schizophrenia is due to their ability to enhance glutamatergic neurotransmission in the PFC and functionally related limbic structures. Our results further suggest the possible use of glutamatergic neurotransmission in the mPFC as a model for screening and studying the action of potential atypical APDs.

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II is involved in the facilitating effect of clozapine on NMDA- and electrically evoked responses in the medial prefrontal cortical pyramidal cells

Using the method of intracellular recording in in vitro brain slices, we investigated whether calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) is involved in the facilitating action produced by the atypical antipsychotic drug (APD) clozapine on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced inward currents and electrically evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). The CaMKII inhibitor, KN-93 (N-[2-(N-(4-Chlorocinnamyl)-N-methylaminomethyl)phenyl]-N-[2-hydroxyethyl]-4-methoxybenzenesulfonamide), but not the inactive isomer, KN-92 (2-[N-(4-Methoxybenzenesulfonyl)]amino-N-(4-chlorocinnamyl)-N-methylbenzylamine, phosphate), blocked clozapine's augmenting effect on NMDA-evoked responses in pyramidal cells of the rat mPFC. KN-93 also inhibited the facilitatory effect of clozapine on electrically evoked responses in the pyramidal cells, while KN-92 did not show any effect. Similarly, the calmodulin antagonist W-7 (N-(6-Aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide) inhibited the augmenting effect of clozapine on NMDA- and electrically evoked responses in the pyramidal cells. To further test the role of CaMKII in mediating the augmenting action of clozapine, we performed experiments in alpha-CaMKII mutant and wild-type mice. In contrast to results in pyramidal cells from rats or wild-type mice, clozapine was not able to potentiate NMDA-induced currents in the mPFC pyramidal cells from the CaMKII mutant mouse. Both KN-93 and W-7, but not KN-92, inhibited the augmenting action of clozapine in the pyramidal cells of wild-type mice. Taken together, these results suggest that the facilitating action of clozapine on the NMDA- and electrically evoked responses in pyramidal cells of the mPFC requires activation of CaMKII enzyme.

Modulation of the ability of clozapine to facilitate NMDA- and electrically evoked responses in pyramidal cells of the rat medial prefrontal cortex by dopamine: pharmacological evidence

Previous studies have shown that dopamine (DA) may play an important role in mediating or modulating the facilitating action of clozapine in glutamatergic transmission. This possibility was tested further in the present study by pharmacological manipulation of the DA system. When rats were pretreated with reserpine (which blocks storage of biogenic amines) and alpha-methyl para-tyrosine (AMPT, which inhibits tyrosine hydroxylase, the rate-limiting enzyme for the DA synthesis), the ability of clozapine to augment glutamatergic transmission in pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) was totally abolished. Furthermore, the application of l-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA, the immediate precursor of DA which bypasses the synthesis step inhibited by AMPT) reversed the effect produced by reserpine plus AMPT and reinstated the facilitating action of clozapine, whereas administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), the immediate precursor of 5-HT, was ineffective. In addition, DA D1 receptor antagonist SCH 23390 also completely prevented clozapine-induced facilitating action in the mPFC pyramidal cells. The present results demonstrate that newly synthesized DA and DA D1 receptors are required for clozapine to elicit its facilitating action on glutamatergic neurotransmission in the mPFC.

NMDA receptor antagonists ketamine and PCP have direct effects on the dopamine D(2) and serotonin 5-HT(2)receptors-implications for models of schizophrenia

Ketamine and PCP are commonly used as selective NMDA receptor antagonists to model the putative hypoglutamate state of schizophrenia and to test new antipsychotics. Recent findings question the NMDA receptor selectivity of these agents. To examine this further, we measured the affinity of ketamine and PCP for the high-affinity states of the dopamine D(2) and serotonin 5-HT(2) receptor and found that ketamine shows very similar affinity at the NMDA receptor and D(2) sites with a slightly lower affinity for 5-HT(2) (0.5 microM, 0.5 microM and 15 microM respectively), while PCP shows similar affinity for the NMDA and 5-HT(2) sites, with a slightly lower affinity for the D(2) site (2 microM, 5 microM and 37 microM respectively). Further, ketamine and PCP in clinically relevant doses caused a significant increase in the incorporation of [(35)S]GTP-gamma-S binding in CHO-cells expressing D(2) receptors, which was prevented by raclopride, suggesting a partial agonist effect at the D(2) receptor. Thus, ketamine and PCP may not produce a selective hypoglutamate state, but more likely produce a non-selective multi-system neurochemical perturbation via direct and indirect effects. These findings confound the inferences one can draw from the ketamine/PCP models of schizophrenia.

Blockade of phencyclidine-induced cortical apoptosis and deficits in prepulse inhibition by M40403, a superoxide dismutase mimetic

Repetitive administration of phencyclidine (PCP) in the perinatal period results in cortical apoptosis and a long-lasting deficit in sensorimotor gating. Because these changes are olanzapine-sensitive, we have suggested that the effects of perinatal PCP could be used to model certain aspects of schizophrenia. Studies of PCP and N-methyl-D-aspartate-induced cell death suggested that superoxide could play a role in the pathway leading to death after PCP administration. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether the in vivo administration of M40403, a superoxide dismutase mimetic, could prevent PCP-induced cortical apoptosis and/or deficits in prepulse inhibition. Perinatal rat pups were administered 10 mg/kg PCP on postnatal (PN) days 7, 9, and 11 with or without treatment with 10 mg/kg M40403. Pups were either killed on PN 12 for analysis of various apoptotic markers or they were assessed for prepulse inhibition on PN 24 to 26. Treatment with M40403 2 and 24 h after each PCP treatment prevented PCP-induced increases in two measures of apoptosis in the dorsolateral frontal cortex and in the olfactory cortex. PCP-induced proapoptotic changes in Bax and Bcl-X(L) were also prevented by M40403 treatment. This regimen did not prevent the deficit in prepulse inhibition caused by PCP treatment, but when the treatment regimen was extended through PN 23, M40403 completely prevented the PCP-induced deficit in prepulse inhibition. These data suggest that perinatal PCP treatment leads to long-lasting changes in the pathway(s), leading to cell death and behavioral deficits, and that the superoxide radical plays a critical role in the underlying mechanism.

Integrative role for serotonergic and glutamatergic receptor mechanisms in the action of NMDA antagonists: potential relationships to antipsychotic drug actions on NMDA antagonist responsiveness

NMDA receptor antagonists worsen symptoms in schizophrenia and induce schizophrenic-like symptoms in normal individuals. In animals, NMDA antagonist-induced behavioral responses include increased activity, head weaving, deficits in paired pulse inhibition and social interaction, and increased forced swim immobility. Repeated exposure to NMDA antagonists in animals results in behavioral sensitization-a phenomenon accentuated in rats with dopaminergic neurons lesioned during development. In keeping with an involvement of serotonin and glutamate release in NMDA antagonist action, selected behaviors induced by NMDA antagonists are minimized by 5-HT(2A) receptor antagonists and mGLU2 receptor agonists. These observations provide promising new approaches for treating acute NMDA antagonist-induced psychosis. Further, acute atypical antipsychotic drugs also minimize NMDA antagonist actions to a greater degree than typical antipsychotics. However, because knowledge concerning acute versus chronic effectiveness of various antipsychotic drugs against NMDA antagonist neuropathology is limited, future studies to define more fully the basis of their differences in efficacy after chronic treatment could provide an understanding of their actions on neural mechanisms responsible for the core pathogenesis of schizophrenia.

Stimulation of 5-HT(2) receptors in prefrontal pyramidal neurons inhibits Ca(v)1.2 L type Ca(2+) currents via a PLCbeta/IP3/calcineurin signaling cascade

There is growing evidence linking alterations in serotonergic signaling in the prefrontal cortex to the etiology of schizophrenia. Prefrontal pyramidal neurons are richly innervated by serotonergic fibers and express high levels of serotonergic 5-HT(2)-class receptors. It is unclear, however, how activation of these receptors modulates cellular activity. To help fill this gap, whole cell voltage-clamp and single-cell RT-PCR studies of acutely isolated layer V-VI prefrontal pyramidal neurons were undertaken. The vast majority (>80%) of these neurons had detectable levels of 5-HT(2A) or 5-HT(2C) receptor mRNA. Bath application of 5-HT(2) agonists inhibited voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel currents. L-type Ca(2+) channels were a particularly prominent target of this signaling pathway. The L-type channel modulation was blocked by disruption of G(alphaq) signaling or by inhibition of phospholipase Cbeta. Antagonism of intracellular inositol trisphosphate signaling, chelation of intracellular Ca(2+), or depletion of intracellular Ca(2+) stores also blocked this modulation. Inhibition of the Ca(2+)-dependent phosphatase calcineurin prevented receptor-mediated modulation of L-type currents. Last, the 5-HT(2) receptor modulation was robustly expressed in neurons from Ca(v)1.3 knockout mice. These findings argue that 5-HT(2) receptors couple through G(alphaq) proteins to trigger a phospholipase Cbeta/inositol trisphosphate signaling cascade resulting in the mobilization of intracellular Ca(2+), activation of calcineurin, and inhibition of Ca(v)1.2 L-type Ca(2+) currents. This modulation and its blockade by atypical neuroleptics could have wide-ranging effects on synaptic integration and long-term gene expression in deep-layer prefrontal pyramidal neurons.

Long-term behavioral and neurodegenerative effects of perinatal phencyclidine administration: implications for schizophrenia

Both acute and chronic administration of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists such as phencyclidine and dizocilpine have been proposed to mimic some of the symptoms of schizophrenia. The purposes of the present study were first, to characterize the long-term behavioral and neurodegenerative effects of subchronic administration of phencyclidine to perinatal rats and second, to determine whether pretreatment with olanzapine could attenuate these effects. On postnatal days 7, 9 and 11 rat pups were pretreated with either vehicle or olanzapine prior to administration of either saline or phencyclidine (10 mg/kg). Some pups were killed on postnatal day 12 for biochemical determinations and others were tested on postnatal days 24-28 for prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle, on postnatal day 42 for phencyclidine-induced locomotor activity and between postnatal days 33 and 70 for acquisition of a delayed spatial learning task. Phencyclidine treatment resulted in a substantial increase in fragmented DNA in the frontal and olfactory cortices consistent with neurodegeneration by an apoptotic mechanism. An increase in the NMDA receptor NR1 subunit mRNA was also observed in the cortex. Gel shift assays showed that phencyclidine also increased the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB proteins in the prefrontal cortex. In tissue from the frontal cortex, western blot analysis revealed that phencyclidine treatment increased Bax and decreased Bcl-X(L) proteins. Later in development, it was observed that perinatal phencyclidine treatment significantly retarded baseline prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle measured shortly after weaning. In 42-day-old rats, it was found that challenge with 2 mg/kg phencyclidine increased locomotor activity to a significantly greater extent in the rats that had been pretreated with phencyclidine. Similarly, perinatal phencyclidine treatment significantly delayed the acquisition of a delayed spatial alternation task. Each of the aforementioned changes (except for the spatial learning task, which was not tested) was significantly inhibited by olanzapine pretreatment, an antipsychotic drug known to be effective against both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Further, olanzapine treatment for 12 days following the administration of phencyclidine was also able to reverse the phencyclidine-induced deficit in baseline prepulse inhibition. Together these data suggest that perinatal administration of phencyclidine results in long-term behavioral changes that may be mechanistically related to the apoptotic neurodegeneration observed in the frontal cortex. It is postulated that these deficits may model the hypofrontality observed in schizophrenia and that this model may be helpful in designing appropriate pharmacotherapy.

Effects of the 5HT antagonist cyproheptadine on neuropsychological function in chronic schizophrenia

This study tests the hypothesis that the ability of atypical neuroleptics to improve negative symptoms is due to 5HT-receptor antagonism and enhanced frontal lobe function. We investigated the effects of cyproheptadine (a 5HT2 antagonist) on neuropsychological tests of frontal lobe functions in chronic schizophrenic patients. Eighteen stable schizophrenic patients on depot neuroleptic medication participated in a 4-week double blind crossover study. Outcome measures were clinical symptoms rating scales, neuropsychological tests (verbal fluency, Stroop colour word task, trail making) and antisaccade eye movements. During the cyproheptadine phase statistically significant improvement was seen on Stroop colour word task, verbal fluency and Trail B tests. The ability to suppress reflexive eye movement to a target light in an anti saccade task was also significantly enhanced. The patients had low clinical ratings of negative symptoms and they were unaffected by cyproheptadine. The results indicate that 5HT2C receptors selectively modulate speed and motor control mechanisms related to frontal lobe functions but this was not associated with changes in symptoms.

A change in the density of [(3)H]flumazenil, but not [(3)H]muscimol binding, in Brodmann's Area 9 from subjects with bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

This study examines the hypothesis that there are changes in cortical serotonergic, GABAergic and glutamatergic systems in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

METHODS

In situ radioligand binding and autoradiography were used to measure neurochemical markers in Brodmann's Area (BA) 9 from control subjects and subjects with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia (n=8 per group).

RESULTS

Compared to tissue from schizophrenic (mean+/-S.E.M, 385+/-44 fmol/mg ETE) and control (383+/-44 fmol/mg ETE) subjects, there was an increase in the density of [(3)H]flumazenil binding to the benzodiazepine binding site on the GABA(A) receptor in subjects with bipolar disorder (451+/-17 fmol/mg ETE; P<0.05). There was no difference in the density of [(3)H]muscimol binding to the GABA(A) receptor or in the density of the serotonin(1A) receptor, serotonin(2A) receptor, ionotropic glutamate receptors or the serotonin transporter between the three cohorts. There was an age-related decrease in NMDA receptor density in control subjects that was absent in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. An age-related increase in [(3)H]flumazenil binding in schizophrenia was absent in control and bipolar disorder subjects.

LIMITATIONS

This study involved a relatively small number of individuals.

CONCLUSIONS

An increase in the gamma2-receptor sub-unit in the GABA(A) receptor has been shown to increase benzodiazepine but not [(3)H]muscimol binding, this is the mismatch in binding we have shown in BA 9 from subjects with bipolar disorder. Thus, a change in the assembly of receptor subunits into GABA(A) receptors may be involved in the neuropathology of bipolar disorder. There may also be differences in age-related changes in cortical receptor density between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Biphasic modulation of NMDA-induced responses in pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex by Y-931, a potential atypical antipsychotic drug

Similar to the effects produced by the atypical antipsychotic drugs (APDs) clozapine and olanzapine, Y-931 [8-fluoro-12-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)-6H-[1]benzothieno[2,3-b][1,5]benzodiazepine maleate, a purported atypical APD] effectively facilitated N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-induced, but not (+/-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA)-evoked, responses in pyramidal cells of the rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Similar to olanzapine and clozapine, the concentration-response curve of Y-931 in these experiments was biphasic. At present, the mechanisms behind the biphasic modulatory actions of Y-931 and olanzapine on NMDA-induced currents in the mPFC are not clear. In addition to augmenting NMDA responses, Y-931 prevented the phencyclidine (PCP)-induced block of the NMDA responses and increased the amplitudes and durations of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) evoked by electrical stimulation of the forceps minor. Overall, our findings suggest that APDs, particularly the atypical ones, share a common property in that they facilitate NMDA receptor-mediated transmission in the mPFC and perhaps other functionally related limbic structures as well, which could be the cellular basis for their ability to alleviate some schizophrenic negative symptoms and cognitive dysfunctions.

Subchronic treatment with either clozapine, olanzapine or haloperidol produces a hyposensitive response of the rat cortical cells to N-methyl-D-aspartate

Using the technique of intracellular recording in in vitro brain slice preparations, we examined the effects produced by repeated administration of the antipsychotic drugs clozapine, olanzapine and haloperidol, on N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-induced responses in pyramidal cells of the rat medial prefrontal cortex. Rats were anesthetized and decapitated 24h after the conclusion of daily intraperitoneal injection with either clozapine (25mg/kg), olanzapine (1, 5 or 10mg/kg) or haloperidol (0.5mg/kg) for 21 days, and the slices from medial prefrontal cortex were used for electrophysiological recordings. The concentration-response curves for N-methyl-D-aspartic acid to activate cortical cells shifted markedly to the right in rats which received the subchronic antipsychotic drug treatment, compared with those obtained from rats which received repeated injections of vehicle (1ml/kg/day, i.p. for 21 days). In addition, repeated exposure to antipsychotic drugs caused a significant reduction in the ability of these antipsychotic drugs to augment the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid-induced inward current in pyramidal cells of the rat medial prefrontal cortex. Repeated administration of haloperidol, but not clozapine or olanzapine, significantly hyperpolarized the resting membrane potential and increased membrane resistance in pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex. Moreover, subchronic treatment with haloperidol, but not clozapine or olanzapine, depressed (+/-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid-induced responses. The desensitized response of medial prefrontal cortex cells to N-methyl-D-aspartic acid could be the result of a compensatory response to the facilitating action of antipsychotic drugs on N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor-mediated transmission. The inhibitory action of haloperidol on (+/-)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid responses may also contribute to the rightward shift of the N-methyl-D-aspartic acid concentration-response curve.Thus, the present study suggests that the atypical antipsychotic drugs, clozapine and olanzapine, as well as the typical antipsychotic drug haloperidol strongly modulate glutamatergic transmission after prolonged treatment. This might be an important factor in the mechanisms by which these drugs alleviate symptoms in schizophrenic patients.