title: Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone in amphetamine-induced schizophrenia models in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on animal models of schizophrenia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy Swiss albino female mice (25-35 g) were divided into 4 groups: amphetamine-free (control), amphetamine, 50, and 100 mg/kg DHEA. The DHEA was administered intraperitoneally (ip) for 5 days. Amphetamine (3 mg/kg ip) induced hyper locomotion, apomorphine (1.5 mg/kg subcutaneously [sc]) induced climbing, and haloperidol (1.5 mg/kg sc) induced catalepsy tests were used as animal models of schizophrenia. The study was conducted at the Animal Experiment Laboratories, Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Eskisehir, Turkey between March and May 2012. Statistical analysis was carried out using Kruskal-Wallis test for hyper locomotion, and one-way ANOVA for climbing and catalepsy tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the amphetamine-induced locomotion test, there were significant increases in all movements compared with the amphetamine-free group. Both DHEA 50 mg/kg (p<0.05), and 100 mg/kg (p<0.01) significantly decreased all movements compared with the amphetamine-induced locomotion group. There was a significant difference between groups in the haloperidol-induced catalepsy test (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between groups in terms of total climbing time in the apomorphine-induced climbing test (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed that DHEA reduced locomotor activity and increased catalepsy at both doses, while it had no effect on climbing behavior. We suggest that DHEA displays typical neuroleptic-like effects, and may be used in the treatment of schizophrenia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Meselik 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey. Tel. +90 (222) 2392979 Ext. 4564. Fax. +90 (222) 2393772. E-mail: fskilic@ogu.edu.tr.
authors.forename: Fatma S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Kilic
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kulluk
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Musmul
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000661:Amphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine; D002375:Catalepsy / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000633:toxicity*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D000661:Amphetamine; D001058:Apomorphine