Comparative analyses of the neurodegeneration induced by the non-competitive NMDA-receptor-antagonist drug MK801 in mice and rats

CRHISTIAN BENDER, SOLEDAD DE OLMOS, ADRIÁN BUENO, JOSÉ DE OLMOS, ALFREDO LORENZO

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD

Año: 2010 vol. 32 p. 542 - 542

Non-competitive NMDA-receptor-antagonist drugs such as dizocilpine (MK801) induce behavioral changes and neurotoxicity that have made an impact in different fields of neuroscience. New approaches in research use transgenic mice to elucidate cellular mechanisms and circuits involved in the effects of these drugs. However, the neurodegeneration induced by these drugs has been extensively studied in rats, but the data in mice is limited. Therefore it is important to characterize if the neurotoxic pattern in mice corresponds to that of rats. A comparative analysis of the neurodegeneration induced by MK801 (10 mg/kg) between Wistar rats, and CD-1, CF-1, and C57BL/6-129/Sv mice of both sexes, at different survival times (15, 24, 32, 48, 56 and 72 h)was analysed with the amino-cupric-silver and fluoro-jade B techniques. To compare different administration patterns, groups of mice received subchronic treatments with different doses (final doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg). Results showed t