ObjectiveTo explore the deficits of acoustic startle reflex (ASR) and prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle reflex in single prolonged stress rats.MethodsSixty Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control 1,7,14 d groups and stress 1,7,14 d groups.All stressed rats received single prolonged stress while all control rats were left in their home cage.Behavioral changes in these rats were analyzed in ASR and PPI paradigm.ASR and PPI were carried out on day 2,8,15,respectively.ResultsThere were no differences of ASR and PPI among control 1,7,14 d groups (P ＞ 0.05).ASR of stress 1 d group ( (92.49 ± 31.54) g) was higher than that of control 1 d group((64.48 ± 17.95)g,P＜0.05) while PPI of stress 1 d group((28.60 ±29.02)％) was lower than that of control 1 d group( (41.60 ± 15.10)％,P ＜ 0.05 ).There were no differences of ASR between control 7 d group and stress 7 d group,control 14 d group and stress 14 d group (P＞ 0.05 ).Compared with control 7 d group ( (41.30 ± 12.79) ％ ),PPI in stress 7 d group ( ( 17.95 ± 31.79) ％ ) was reduced (P ＜ 0.05 ).Compared with control 14 d group ( (41.16 ± 12.25 ) ％ ),PPI in stress 14 d group( ( 13.71 ± 32.48) ％ ) was reduced (P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionEffects of stress on ASR in rats increased in early period,while the impaired PPI may last for a long time.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of ziprasidone on the behavior and the expression of pERK1/2 in posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) model rats.Methods 24 adult male SD rats weighing (200 ±20) g were randomly divided into four groups (n =6):control group,single prolonged stress and foot shock (SPS&S) group,ziprasidone group and ziprasidone + U0126 group.The fear response to environment,high alertness,and anxiety & depression behavior of rats were tested by the open field,elevated plus-maze,and the expression of pERK1/2 was measured by Western blot.ResultsIn open field test(OFT),the SPS&S group( (76.23 ± 54.76) cm for horizontal motion distance,(4.60 ± 1.14) for the number of entering central region) showed significant difference compared with control group ( (343.77 ± 74.22 ) cm,( 12.40 ± 3.36 ) ) or ziprasidone group ( ( 274.98± 83.56) cm,( 12.00 ± 2.92) ) (P ＜ 0.01 ),but showed no significant difference with ziprasidone + U0126 group ( ( 138.14 ± 41.98) cm,(5.00 ± 1.58) ) (P ＞ 0.05 ).The results of elevated plus maze (EPM) were in accordance with the results of OFT.The expression of pERK1/2 in SPS&S group and ziprasidone + U0126 group showed significant decrease when compared with control group or ziprasidone group (P ＜ 0.01 ).ConclusionZiprasidone can obviously improve fear response to environment,high alterness and anxiety & depression behavior of rats,and these effects of ziprasidone may be carried out by up-regulation the expression of pERK1/2.

Objective To investigate the abnormal change of gray matter volume in patients with euthymic bipolar disorder Ⅰ (BD-Ⅰ),and to elucidate the relationship between the use of different mood stabilizers and brain structure variations.Methods Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to analyze the volume of local gray matter in 35 patients with BD-Ⅰ and 30 healthy controls(HC).The patients were divided into BD-Ⅰ with lithium group and BD-Ⅰ with valproate group according to different mood stabilizers.The volume differences of gray matter of the three groups were compared by one-way ANOVA.Results Compared with HC,BD-Ⅰ patients showed significantly reduced gray matter volume in the medial frontal cortex (MNI (x,y,z):2,34,-18),orbital frontal cortex (MNI(x,y,z):-32,22,-4),frontal operculum (MNI(x,y,z):38,18,4) and insula cortex (MNI(x,y,z):-32,22,-4) (P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in thevolume of gray matter between BD-Ⅰ with lithium group and BD-Ⅰ with valproate group(P＞0.05).Conclusion Emotional disturbance in patients with BD-Ⅰ may be associated with reduced gray matter volume in the medial frontal cortex,orbital frontal cortex,frontal operculum and insula cortex.There are not significant difference about the effects of lithium carbonate and valproate on cerebral gray matter volume in patients with BD-Ⅰ.

Objective:To explore any effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on neurons, behavior, cerebral blood flow (CBF), vascular regeneration, and the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CD34 protein in rats modeling cerebral infarction.Methods:Thirty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into a sham surgery group (Sham group), a model group (modeled with middle cerebral artery occlusion, MCAO group), an anode transcranial direct current stimulation group (A-tDCS group), and a cathode transcranial direct current stimulation group (C-tDCS group), each of 8. MCAO models were established in the rats of the MCAO, A-tDCS and C-tDCS groups using thread fixation. Twenty-four hours after successful modeling, both the Sham and MCAO groups were connected with electrodes without current stimulation, while the A-tDCS and C-tDCS groups were given 20 minutes of 200μA anodic or cathodic electrical stimulation daily, 5 days a week for 12 days. Before and 24 hours after the modeling, and then after the 12 days of treatment, the four groups received Longa neurobehavioral scoring. Moreover, three days after the modeling as well as after the 12 days of treatment, changes in CBF were observed using MRI. Any blood vessel regeneration was observed using immunofluorescence methods, and the expression of VEGF and CD34 proteins were detected using western blotting.Results:The rats in the MCAO, A-tDCS and C-tDCS groups exhibited various degrees of neurological deficit after the modeling. After the 12 days of treatment the average neurobehavioral scores of the A-tDCS and C-tDCS groups were significantly lower than that of the MCAO group, with the A-tDCS group′s average significantly lower than that of the C-tDCS group. Three days after the modeling, 3D-arterial spin labeling scanning showed a significant decrease in CBF around the ischemic lesion in the MCAO, A-tDCS and C-tDCS groups, but that had increased to varying degrees after 12 days of treatment. The changes in the A-tDCS and C-tDCS groups were significantly larger than in the MCAO group on average, with the former group improving significantly more than the latter. After the 12 days of treatment, new vascularization and the expression of VEGF and CD34 proteins were significantly higher in the A-tDCS and C-tDCS groups than in the MCAO group, with the change in the former group again significantly greater than in the latter.Conclusions:tDCS can relieve the symptoms of neurological deficits in rats with cerebral infarction, promote vascular regeneration, CBF, and expression of VEGF and CD34 proteins. Anodic is superior to cathodic stimulation.