Effects of glutamate-related drugs on marble-burying behavior in mice: implications for obsessive-compulsive disorder

Eur J Pharmacol. 2008 May 31;586(1-3):164-70. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2008.01.035. Epub 2008 Feb 5.

Abstract

Clinical evidence demonstrates altered glutamatergic neurotransmission in patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We examined the effects of glutamate-related drugs on marble-burying behavior, which is an animal model of OCD. The uncompetitive N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonists memantine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) and amantadine (30 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly inhibited marble-burying behavior without affecting locomotor activity in mice. Similarly, the uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist 5R,10S-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo(a,d)cyclohepten-5,10-imine hydrogen maleate (MK-801, 0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) inhibited marble-burying behavior. However, MK-801 at the same dose markedly increased locomotor activity. By contrast, the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionate (AMPA) receptor antagonist 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-nitro-2,3-dioxo-benzo[f]quinoxaline-7-sulfonamide (NBQX) and the glutamate release inhibitor riluzole showed no effect on marble-burying behavior and significant suppression of locomotor activity. MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.) and memantine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly disrupted prepulse inhibition as an operational measure of sensorimotor gating. By contrast, amantadine (30 mg/kg, i.p.) did not affect prepulse inhibition. These findings suggest that amantadine could be a useful drug for the treatment of OCD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Amantadine / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Behavior, Animal / drug effects*
  • Dizocilpine Maleate / pharmacology
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Glutamic Acid / physiology*
  • Male
  • Memantine / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / psychology*
  • Quinoxalines / pharmacology
  • Receptors, Glutamate / drug effects*
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Reflex, Startle / drug effects
  • Riluzole / pharmacology

Substances

  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Quinoxalines
  • Receptors, Glutamate
  • Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
  • 2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline
  • Glutamic Acid
  • Dizocilpine Maleate
  • Riluzole
  • Amantadine
  • Memantine