| Title |
N-acetyl cysteine reverses social isolation rearing induced changes in cortico-striatal monoamines in rats
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Metabolic Brain Disease, September 2013
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s11011-013-9433-z |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Marisa Möller, Jan L. Du Preez, Francois P. Viljoen, Michael Berk, Brian H. Harvey |
| Abstract |
Schizophrenia is causally associated with early-life environmental stress, implicating oxidative stress in its pathophysiology. N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a glutathione precursor and antioxidant, is emerging as a useful agent in the adjunctive treatment of schizophrenia and other psychiatric illnesses. However, its actions on brain monoamine metabolism are unknown. Social isolation rearing (SIR) in rats presents with face, predictive and construct validity for schizophrenia. This study evaluated the dose-dependent effects of NAC (50, 150 and 250 mg/kg/day × 14 days) on SIR- vs. socially reared induced changes in cortico-striatal levels of dopamine (DA), serotonin (5-HT) noradrenaline (NA) and their associated metabolites. SIR induced significant deficits in frontal cortical DA and its metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (Dopac) and homovanillic acid (HVA), reduced 5-HT and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and reduced levels of the NA metabolite, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG). In addition, significant elevations in frontal cortical NA and striatal DA, Dopac, HVA, 5-HT, 5-HIAA, NA and MHPG were also observed in SIR rats. NAC at 150 and 250 mg/kg reversed all cortico-striatal DA, Dopac, HVA, 5-HT, 5-HIAA and striatal NA alterations in SIR animals, with 250 mg/kg of NAC also reversing alterations in cortico-striatal MHPG. In conclusion, SIR profoundly alters cortico-striatal DA, 5-HT and NA pathways that parallel observations in schizophrenia, while these changes are dose-dependently reversed or abrogated by sub-chronic NAC treatment. A modulatory action on cortico-striatal monoamines may explain NACs' therapeutic use in schizophrenia and possibly other psychiatric disorders, where redox dysfunction or oxidative stress is a causal factor. |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 39 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 39 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Researcher | 8 | 21% |
| Student > Doctoral Student | 6 | 15% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 5 | 13% |
| Student > Bachelor | 4 | 10% |
| Student > Master | 3 | 8% |
| Other | 8 | 21% |
| Unknown | 5 | 13% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 9 | 23% |
| Psychology | 5 | 13% |
| Neuroscience | 4 | 10% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 4 | 10% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 3 | 8% |
| Other | 5 | 13% |
| Unknown | 9 | 23% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 04 September 2013.
All research outputs
#17,489,487
of 25,654,806 outputs
Outputs from Metabolic Brain Disease
#655
of 1,184 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#132,172
of 209,615 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Metabolic Brain Disease
#9
of 12 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 25,654,806 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 21st percentile – i.e., 21% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,184 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.7. This one is in the 35th percentile – i.e., 35% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 12 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 8th percentile – i.e., 8% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.