Repeated exposure to the synthetic cathinone MDPV during infancy in mice impairs spatial working memory and object recognition memory in young adulthood, but does not affect hippocampus-dependent spatial learning and memory as measured by the Morris water maze. Hippocampal neurogenesis and synaptogenesis remain intact, and the memory deficits are not linked to disrupted hippocampal development. The effects are the same in both male and female mice.
Depressive disorders are among the most common mental illnesses worldwide. Treatment resistance is increasing, and conventional antidepressants acting on monoamine transmission have a delayed onset. Recent research indicates that impaired neuronal plasticity may underlie depression, and restoring neuroplasticity can produce rapid antidepressant effects. Ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, blocks NMDA receptors on GABAergic interneurons, increasing glutamate release. This activates AMPA receptors, leading to BDNF synthesis and TrkB receptor stimulation, which rebuilds synapses and improves connectivity.