title: Vglut2 haploinsufficiency enhances behavioral sensitivity to MK-801 and amphetamine in mice.
abstract: Recently developed mouse models have implicated the vesicular glutamate transporter 2 (VGLUT2) in psychostimulant-induced hyperactivity, a behavioral assay that is often applied to evaluate mouse behavior related to positive schizophrenia (SCZ) symptomatology. In present research, we wanted to evaluate further the role of subtle VGLUT2 impairment as a factor underlying SCZ symptomatology. To this end, we evaluated Vglut2 haploinsufficient (Vglut2⁺/⁻) mice and their wildtype littermates in a test battery assessing behaviors related to positive, negative and cognitive SCZ symptom domains. We found in Vglut2⁺/⁻ mice an increased locomotor response to amphetamine and an increased sensitivity to the startle-disrupting effects of MK-801, but no impairment in sensorimotor gating. Further on, minor alterations in tests assessing cognitive and negative symptom-related behavior were observed. Possible neurobiological mechanisms of these observations are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Leuven, Tiensestraat 102, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naert
authors.forename: Zsuzsanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Callaerts-Vegh
authors.forename: Diederik
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moechars
authors.forename: Theo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meert
authors.forename: Rudi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Hooge
mesh_terms: D000661:Amphetamine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D057895:Haploinsufficiency; D006948:Hyperkinesis / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D055139:Sensory Gating / Q000187:drug effects; D050599:Vesicular Glutamate Transport Protein 2 / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D050599:Vesicular Glutamate Transport Protein 2; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D000661:Amphetamine