Serotonin transporter, 5-HT1A receptor, and behavior in DBA/2J mice in comparison with four inbred mouse strains
✍ Scribed by Nina K. Popova; Vladimir S. Naumenko; Marina A. Tibeikina; Alexander V. Kulikov
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2009
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 151 KB
- Volume
- 87
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0360-4012
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
✦ Synopsis
Abstract
Prepulse inhibition (PPI), the reduction in acoustic startle produced when it is preceded by a weak prepulse stimulus, is impaired in schizophrenic patients. The DBA/2J mouse strain displayed deficient PPI and is therefore suggested as an experimental animal model for the loss of sensorimotor gating in schizophrenia. Brain serotonin (5‐HT) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of several psychiatric disorders, including major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. In the present study, behavior, 5‐HT transporter (5‐HTT) mRNA level, 5‐HT~1A~ receptor mRNA level, and 5‐HT~1A~ receptor density in the brain regions were studied in DBA/2J mice in comparison with four inbred mouse strains (CBA/Lac, C57BL/6, BALB/c, and ICR). A decrease in 5‐HTT mRNA level in the midbrain and a reduced density of 5‐HT~1A~ receptors in the frontal cortex without significant changes in 5‐HT~1A~ receptor mRNA level in DBA/2J mice were found. It was shown that, along with decreased PPI, DBA/2J mice demonstrated considerably reduced immobility in the tail suspension test and in the forced swim test. No significant interstrain differences in intermale aggression, or in light‐dark box and elevated plus‐maze tests, were found. The results suggested the involvement of decreased 5‐HTT gene expression and 5‐HT~1A~ receptor density in genetically defined PPI deficiency and showed a lack of any association between PPI deficiency and predisposition to aggressive, anxiety, and depressive‐like behaviors. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.