VORTIOXETINE IMPROVED COGNITIVE SYMPTOMS IN MK-801-INDUCED SCHIZOPHRENIA MODEL OF RATS

Creative Commons License

Keleşoğlu E., Akkoç B., Bozkurt N. M., Ünal G.

14th International Symposium on Pharmaceutical Sciences (ISOPS), Ankara, Türkiye, 25 - 28 Haziran 2024, ss.370

  • Yayın Türü: Bildiri / Özet Bildiri
  • Basıldığı Şehir: Ankara
  • Basıldığı Ülke: Türkiye
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.370
  • Erciyes Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Introduction: Schizophrenia is a psychiatric disorder characterized by positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. (van OS and Kapur, 2009). Current medications are insufficient for adequately treating schizophrenia. While existing treatment approaches can significantly reduce positive symptoms, they are less successful in addressing negative and cognitive symptoms. Vortioxetine antagonizes serotonergic 5-HT3 and 5-HT7 receptors, exhibits agonistic effects on the 5-HT1A receptor, and partial agonist effects on 5-HT1B receptors. This multimodal activity is believed to be responsible for its antidepressant and anxiolytic-like effects, as well as improvements in cognitive functions in animal studies. Due to its multimodal regulatory role in the brain’s serotonergic system, vortioxetine is thought to potentially exert an antipsychotic effect on schizophrenia (Bozkurt and Unal, 2023). In our study, we investigated the effects of vortioxetine on the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia in a rat model induced by MK-801.

Materials and Methods: To establish a schizophrenia model in rats, a single daily dose of MK-801 (0.2 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered for 14 days. Subsequently, treatments of vortioxetine (10 mg/kg) and risperidone (0.3 mg/kg) were administered once daily (i.p.) for 21 days. Y maze test was conducted at the 21th day of treatment to assess the cognitive symptoms in the schizophrenia model in rats.

Results: MK-801 significantly reduced (p<0.05) spontaneous alternation compared to the control group. Vortioxetine significantly increased (p<0.05) the percentage of alternation reduced by MK-801. However, risperidone, used as a positive control, did not alter the percentage of alternation affected by MK-801.

Conclusions: In the MK-801-induced schizophrenia model, vortioxetine has improved cognitive functions in rats. Moving forward, we will focus on elucidating the underlying mechanisms of this effect of vortioxetine.