D-serine improves dimensions of the sociability deficit of the genetically-inbred Balb/c mouse strain.
The Balb/c mouse strain shows quantitative deficits of sociability and is behaviorally-hypersensitive to MK-801 (dizocilpine), a noncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist. D-Serine (560mg/kg, intraperitoneally), a full agonist for the obligatory glycine co-agonist binding site on the NMDA receptor, increased the amount of time Balb/c mice spend in a compartment containing the enclosed social stimulus mouse and the amount of time Balb/c mice spend exploring (sniffing) an inverted cup containing the enclosed social stimulus mouse in a standard sociability apparatus. These effects of D-serine on the impaired sociability of the Balb/c mouse strain were not due to a "nonspecific" effect on locomotor activity; importantly, the locomotor activity of the Balb/c mouse strain decreases in the presence of an enclosed or freely-moving social stimulus mouse. The data suggest that dimensions of the impaired sociability of the Balb/c mouse strain may be improved by targeted NMDA receptor agonist interventions.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, VA 23507-1912, United States.
Luis F
LF
Jacome
Jessica A
JA
Burket
Amy L
AL
Herndon
William R
WR
Cannon
Stephen I
SI
Deutsch
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000819:agonists / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012694:Serine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012919:Social Behavior
D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D012694:Serine; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate