Rapid antidepressant effect of ketamine correlates with astroglial plasticity in the hippocampus

• DOI: 10.1111/bph.13714
• Publication Date: 2017-01-14T12:52:51Z
• Authors: Maryam Ardalan; Ali H. Rafati; Jens R. Nyengaard; Gregers Wegener
• Keywords: Pathophysiology

Background and purpose Astroglia contribute to the pathophysiology of major depression antidepressant drugs act by modulating synaptic plasticity; therefore, present study investigated whether fast action ketamine is reflected in a rapid alteration astrocytes’ morphology genetic animal model depression. Experimental Approach S‐Ketamine (15 mg·kg −1 ) or saline was administered as single injection Flinders Line (FSL/ FRL) rats. Twenty‐four hours after treatment, perfusion fixation carried out glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP)‐positive astrocytes CA1 stratum radiatum (CA1.SR) molecular layer dentate gyrus (GCL) hippocampus applying stereological techniques analysis with Imaris software. The depressive‐like behaviour animals also evaluated using forced swim test. Key Results FSL rats treated exhibited significant reduction immobility time comparison FSL‐vehicle group. volumes hippocampal CA1.SR GCL regions were significantly increased 1 day treatment size ketamine‐treated larger than those Additionally, number length astrocytic processes region following treatment. Conclusions Implications Our results support hypothesis that astroglial atrophy contributes morphological modification could be one mechanism which rapidly improves depressive behaviour.