Quetiapine regulates FGF-2 and BDNF expression in the hippocampus of animals treated with MK-801

Neuroreport. 2004 Sep 15;15(13):2109-12. doi: 10.1097/00001756-200409150-00022.

Abstract

Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are trophic factors, widely distributed in the adult brain, whose expression can be modulated by psychoactive drugs. Administration of the atypical antipsychotic quetiapine resulted in a marked elevation of FGF-2 and BDNF mRNA levels in the rat hippocampus, but only under conditions of reduced NMDA receptor activity. These effects were drug-specific, given that they were not observed with the conventional antipsychotic haloperidol; and anatomically defined, since no similar effect was observed in striatum, prefrontal or frontal cortex. These results suggest that quetiapine may promote neuroplasticity via the up-regulation of neurotrophic factors when NMDA-mediated transmission is perturbed.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antipsychotic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Brain / anatomy & histology
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / genetics
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / metabolism*
  • Dibenzothiazepines / pharmacology*
  • Dizocilpine Maleate / pharmacology*
  • Drug Interactions
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology*
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / genetics
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects*
  • Genes, fos / physiology
  • Hippocampus / drug effects*
  • Hippocampus / metabolism
  • Male
  • Quetiapine Fumarate
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
  • Dibenzothiazepines
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 2
  • Quetiapine Fumarate
  • Dizocilpine Maleate