The contextual fear conditioning deficit presented by spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) is not improved by mood stabilizers

ObjectivesWe have recently reported that spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) present a contextual fear conditioning (CFC) deficit. This deficit is improved by antipsychotic drugs, potentiated by proschizophrenia manipulations and not altered by acute administration of carbamazepine, lamotrigine and valproic acid. Nevertheless, the effects of lithium-a classical mood stabilizer-or repeated treatment with these drugs were not evaluated. The main aim of the present study was to extend our previous work by investigating a possible beneficial effect of acute and/or chronic treatments with lithium or lamotrigine on the acquisition deficit of CFC presented by SHR.MethodsRats were submitted to CFC task after an acute treatment with lithium and/or a repeated treatment with lithium and lamotrigine.ResultsOur data revealed that the CFC deficit presented by SHR is not improved by acute or repeated treatment with lithium. Repeated lamotrigine treatment potentiated the deficit presented by SHR and impaired CFC in control animals (Wistar Rats).ConclusionsThese data reinforce the absence of beneficial effects of mood stabilizers on the emotional context processing impairment modeled by SHR.

Research highlights► Acute and repeated lithium treatment were investigated in emotional processing. ► Lithium did not modify the acquisition of contextual fear conditioning in rats. ► The contextual fear conditioning deficit presented by SHR is not improved by lithium. ► Repeated lamotrigine treatment potentiated the deficit presented by SHR. ► Repeated lamotrigine treatment impaired contextual fear conditioning in Wistar rats.