Olfactory learning prevents MK-801-induced psychosis-like behaviour in an animal model of schizophrenia.
There is mounting evidence to support the concept that education is associated with the formation of a functional reserve in the brain, a process that appears to provide some protection against certain aspects of severe central nervous system disorders. The goal of this study was to examine whether learning prevents psychosis-like behaviour in an animal model of schizophrenia. A series of behavioural tasks were used to assess olfactory learning-induced protection against the effects of NMDA channel blocker, MK801. This blocker caused sensory-motor disturbances, spatial learning acquisition deficit, and swimming strategy alterations in pseudo-trained and naive rats, but had a considerably lesser effect on trained rats. In sharp contrast, olfactory learning provided no protection against d-amphetamine application. Our data support the notion that learning-induced protection against schizophrenic behaviour is maintained by non-NMDA-mediated enhanced activation of local connections in the relevant cortical networks.
Naimark
Ari
A
Ministry of Health Mental Health Center, Anxiety and Stress Research Unit, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel.
Barkai
Edi
E
Michael
Matar A
MA
Kozlovsky
Nitzan
N
Kaplan
Zeev
Z
Cohen
Hagit
H
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning; D008568:Memory / Q000187:drug effects; D011605:Psychoses, Substance-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012903:Smell
D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate