Current Neuropharmacology - Volume 20, Issue 3, 2022

The ability of the nervous system to detect a wide range of noxious stimuli is crucial to avoid life-threatening injury and to trigger protective behavioral and physiological responses. Pain represents a complex phenomenon, including nociception associated with cognitive and emotional processing. Animal experimental models have been developed to understand the mechanisms involved in pain response, as well as to di Read More

Schizophrenia pathophysiology is associated with hypofunction of glutamate NMDA receptors (NMDAR) in GABAergic interneurons and dopaminergic hyperactivation in subcortical brain areas. The administration of NMDAR antagonists is used as an animal model that replicates behavioral phenotypes relevant to the positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. Such models overwhelmingly rely o Read More

Nicotine induces long-term changes in the neural activity of the mesocorticolimbic reward pathway structures. The mechanisms involved in this process have not been fully characterized. The hypothesis discussed here proposed that epigenetic regulation participates in the installation of persistent adaptations and long-lasting synaptic plasticity generated by nicotine action on the mesolimbic dopamine neurons of zebrafis Read More

The prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases is increasing globally, with an imperative need to identify and expand the availability of pharmaceutical treatment strategies. Alzheimer's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease for which there is no cure and limited treatments. Rodent models are primarily used in Alzheimer's disease research to investigate causes, pathology, molecular mechanisms, Read More

Sleep is an evolutionarily conserved phenomenon, being an important biological necessity for the learning process and memory consolidation. The brain displays two types of electrical activity during sleep: slow-wave activity or Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep, and desynchronized brain wave activity or Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. There are many theories regarding “Why we need to sleep?”; one of them is the syn Read More

Although American traditional medicine (ATM) has been practiced for millennia, its complex multi-target mechanisms of therapeutic action remain poorly understood. Animal models are widely used to elucidate the therapeutic effects of various ATMs, including their modulation of brain and behavior. Complementing rodent models, the zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a promising novel organism in translational neuroscience and ne Read More

Zebrafish are increasingly being utilized to model the behavioral and neurochemical effects of pharmaceuticals and, more recently, pharmaceutical interactions. Zebrafish models of stress establish that both caffeine and ethanol influence anxiety, though few studies have implemented coadministration to assess the interaction of anxiety and reward-seeking. Caffeine exposure in zebrafish is teratogenic, causing develop Read More

Background: The consequences of mild to severe exposure to alcohol during brain development is still a matter of debate and scientific investigation. The long-term behavioural effects of ethanol exposure have been related to impaired social skills and cognition. Zebrafish have become a suitable animal model to investigate the effects of early ethanol exposure because it is very feasible to promote drug delivery Read More

Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) disorders result from damage, malfunction or absence of one or more key proteins involved in neuromuscular transmission, comprising a wide range of disorders. The most common pathology is antibody-mediated or downregulation of ion channels or receptors, resulting in Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome, myasthenia gravis, and acquired neuromyotonia (Isaac’s syndrome), and r Read More

Preterm infants are at high risk of brain injury. With more understanding of the preterm brain injury's pathogenesis, neuroscientists are looking for more effective methods to prevent and treat it, among which erythropoietin (Epo) is considered as a prime candidate. This review tries to clarify the possible mechanisms of Epo in preterm neuroprotection and summarize updated evidence considering Epo as a pharmacological ne Read More

Background: Stroke is a major challenge in neurology due to its multifactorial genesis and irreversible consequences. Processes of endogenous post-stroke neurogenesis, although insufficient, may indicate possible direction of future therapy. Multiple research considers stem-cell-based approaches in order to maximize neuroregeneration and minimize post-stroke deficits. Objective: Aim of this study is to review current li Read More

Melatonin, a vital hormone synthesized by the pineal gland, has been implicated in various physiological functions and circadian rhythm regulation. Its role in the protection against the non-ionizing electromagnetic field (EMF), known to disrupt the body’s oxidative/anti-oxidative balance, has been called into question due to inconsistent results observed across studies. This review provides the current knowledge on the interwoven r Read More