Department of Physiology, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Biological Sciences, Konkuk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2017 Oct 1;20(10):861-866. doi: 10.1093/ijnp/pyx061.
Nasal pretreatment with the neuropeptide oxytocin has been reported to prevent stress-induced impairments in hippocampal synaptic plasticity and spatial memory in rats. However, no study has asked if oxytocin application following a stress experience is effective in rescuing stress-induced impairments.
Synaptic plasticity was measured in hippocampal Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses of rats subjected to uncontrollable stress; their cognitive function was examined using an object recognition task.
Impaired induction of long-lasting, long-term potentiation by uncontrollable stress was rescued, as demonstrated both in rats and hippocampal slices. Intranasal oxytocin after experiencing uncontrollable stress blocked cognitive impairments in stressed rats and in stressed hippocampal slices treated with a perfused bath solution containing oxytocin.
These results indicated that posttreatment with oxytocin after experiencing a stressful event can keep synaptic plasticity and cognition function intact, indicating the therapeutic potential of oxytocin for stress-related disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder.
有研究报道，鼻内预处理神经肽催产素可预防大鼠海马突触可塑性和空间记忆的应激诱导损伤。然而，尚无研究探讨应激后应用催产素是否能有效挽救应激诱导的损伤。
对经历不可控应激的大鼠海马 Schaffer 侧支-CA1 突触进行突触可塑性测量；使用物体识别任务检测其认知功能。
不可控应激可损害长时程增强的诱导，而这种损害可被挽救，无论是在大鼠还是海马切片中都是如此。经历不可控应激后鼻内给予催产素可阻止应激大鼠以及接受含有催产素灌流液处理的应激海马切片的认知障碍。
这些结果表明，经历应激事件后进行催产素后处理可保持突触可塑性和认知功能完整，提示催产素治疗与应激相关障碍（包括创伤后应激障碍）具有潜在疗效。
