Study of schizophrenia using methamphetamine animal models from points of view of immune and inflammation factors

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K07961
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 52030:Psychiatry-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: Ito Koki 北海道大学, 医学研究院, 客員研究員 (40455663)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 石川 修平 北海道大学, 大学病院, 助教 (30880091)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 統合失調症 / 覚せい剤モデル / 炎症 / 拘束ストレス / リポ多糖

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we examined the effects of inflammation on schizophrenia symptoms. We evaluated the effects of acute inflammation as measured by the behavioral sensitization observed in mice treated with continuous methamphetamine, a classic model of schizophrenia. The results showed that acute inflammation induced prior to behavioral sensitization by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or restraint stress (RS) treatment suppressed behavioral sensitization. Furthermore, it was found that this inhibitory effect was blocked by pre-treatment of COX-2 inhibitor for LPS treatment and by treatmentof anti-TNF alpha antibody for RS treatment. These results suggest that acute inflammation suppresses behavioral sensitization, and the mechanism of this suppression may differ depending on the type of inflammation.

Free Research Field

精神神経学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来、統合失調症に対して炎症反応は負の影響を与えることが示されてきたが、本研究により、炎症の強度、曝露期間、炎症の種類によって、その影響が大きく異なる可能性が示された。本研究の結果は今後、炎症反応と統合失調症の関連性を検証していく上で重要な知見であり、炎症反応を標的とした新たな治療法の開発を支援する知見になると考えられる。