title: Analysis of sensitivity to MK-801 treatment in a novel active allothetic place avoidance task and in the working memory version of the Morris water maze reveals differences between Long-Evans and Wistar rats.
abstract: The aims of the present study were to compare the effect of subchronic administration of MK-801 on performance in the active allothetic place avoidance (AAPA) task and in the working version of Morris water maze (MWM) in Long-Evans and Wistar rats. Animals were trained for four daily sessions either in the AAPA or in the working memory version of the MWM. Wistar rats treated by MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg) showed a cognitive deficit in the AAPA task without a significant hyperlocomotion, whereas they were not impaired in the working memory version of the MWM compared to controls. Long-Evans rats treated by MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg) were not impaired either in the AAPA task or in the MWM task. Higher doses of MK-801 (0.2 and 0.3 mg/kg) produced hyperlocomotion in both strains which corresponded to an inability to solve both spatial tasks. Long-Evans rats were superior in the MWM to the Wistar rats in the groups treated with the low dose of MK-801. In conclusion, intact Wistar rats can efficiently solve both spatial tasks; however, they are more sensitive to MK-801-induced behavioural deficit. This has relevance for modeling of the schizophrenia-related deficits and for screening substances for their therapeutic potential.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220 Prague 4, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vales
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bubenikova-Valesova
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klement
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stuchlik
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006948:Hyperkinesis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009949:Orientation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013028:Space Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate