Impact of postnatal dexamethasone on psychotomimetic effects of MK-801 measured on adult rats

The present study investigates the impact of dexamethasone (DEX) given in tapering doses in the postnatal period on MK-801-induced locomotor activity and MK-801-evoked deficits of sensorimotor gating of adult rats (60 days old). It has been found that DEX given on postnatal day 1 (0.5 μg/g), day 2 (0.3 μg/g) and day 3 (0.1 μg/g) has no effects on spontaneous locomotor activity and does not influence locomotion observed after MK-801 given in a dose of 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg. Postnatal DEX treatment did not alter the efficacy of sensorimotor gating and its deficits evoked by MK-801 at a dose of 0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg. However, a slight increase in the amplitude of startle reaction has been noted in DEX-treated animals. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that DEX given postnatally in tapering doses, although pharmacologically effective (decrease in a gain of body and brain weight), has no potential pro-psychotic effects and does not influence pharmacologically induced psychoses by MK-801. The above data indicate that apart from other side effects, the therapeutic application of DEX in the postnatal period is possibly safe in terms of the risk for developing schizophrenia.