Role of ventro medial prefrontal cortex NMDA-NO pathway in the modulation of behavioural consequences elicited by forced swim stress: intracellular mechanisms

• Grant number: 11/13899-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: October 01, 2011
• End date: April 30, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Neuropsychopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Sâmia Regiane Lourenço Joca
• Grantee: Vitor Silva Pereira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 13/00916-5 - Involvement of BDNF-TrkB-mTOR pathway in the antidepressant-like effect induced by nos inhibitors, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Glutamate, through activation of NMDA receptors, is capable of enhancing the nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. Over the last years, the involvement of the NMDA-NO pathway in the neurobiology of depression has been described. The use of NMDA antagonists, like ketamine, or NO synthesis inhibitors, such as 7-NI, produce antidepressant-like effects in animals, reinforcing the potential of glutamatergic and nitrergic systems as therapeutic targets for the treatment of depression. Recent studies show the participation of intracellular pathways involved in the control of neural plasticity, with emphasis to BDNF-TrkB-mTOR pathway in the antidepressant effects produced by NMDA antagonists. It was already demonstrated that the antidepressant-like effects of ketamina are associated to an increase in BDNF synthesis and that the administration of an mTOR inhibitor into the ventro medial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) blocks the antidepressant-like effect of ketamine. Likewise, the pharmacological blockade of vmPFC or the infusion of a NMDA antagonist into this area induces antidepressant-like effects. However, it is not known if the antidepressant effects mediated by vmPFC depend on the interaction between the NMDA-NO pathway and the BDNF-TrkB-mTOR pathway. Thus, this project aims to evaluate the role of the glutamatergic neurotransmission, and the intracellular pathways activated by it, such as the production of NO, as well as the participation of the BDNF-TrkB-mTOR pathway, into vmPFC, in the modulation of the behavioral responses of animals submitted to the forced swim test. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

PEREIRA, Vitor Silva. Participation of NMDA-NO pathway from the medial préfrontal córtex on the behavioural consequences of forced swim stress: molecular mechanisms. 2015. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (PCARP/BC) Ribeirão Preto.