Angiotensin II AT1 receptors involvement in behavioral, neuronal and glial responses in a ketamine model of schizophrenia

BASMADJIAN M; OCCHIEPPO V; BREGONZIO C; MARCHESE NA

Congreso; Federation of European Neurosciences (FENS) Regional Meeting 2018; 2018

Schizophrenia affects the quality of life of 1% population worldwide, and considering the low efficacy and high incidence of side-effects of the available therapeutic treatments, new pharmacological approaches become necessary. The distressing symptoms characteristics of schizophrenia- as cognitive deficit, positive and negative symptoms- have been strongly related to GABA-, glutamate- and dopaminergic neurotransmission imbalance. This changes are usually companied by an altered glial structure. Ketamine administration, a validated animal model of schizophrenia, resembles some of this behavioral symptoms, brain functional and structural alterations. Previous results of our group showed the involvement of Angiotensin II AT1 receptors (AT1-R) in similar alterations in an amphetamine model of schizophrenia. Based on this findings and evidences that supports the key role of AT1-R in dopaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission; the aim of the present work was evaluate the AT1-R involvement in behavioral responses, neuronal and glial activation in a ketamine model of schizophrenia.