Effects of esketamine on depression-like behavior and dendritic spine plasticity in the prefrontal cortex neurons of spared nerve injury-induced depressed mice.
Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas January 1, 2024 Bixin Huang, Xiaoling Li, Yuling Zheng et al. 4 citations
In a mouse model of depression created by spared nerve injury, esketamine improved depression-like behaviors, such as increasing time spent in open arms and central area of an open field test and total distance traveled, while also increasing immobility in forced swimming and tail suspension tests. It raised the density of total and mature dendritic spines in the prefrontal cortex and increased expression of CRMP2 and PSD-95 proteins. These findings suggest esketamine promotes brain plasticity in the prefrontal cortex, possibly through changes in these proteins.