Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
7
pubmed:dateCreated
2003-12-11
pubmed:abstractText
Despite the devastating impact that bipolar disorder has on the lives of millions worldwide, little is known for certain about its etiology or pathophysiology. Whereas research has traditionally focused on biogenic amines, it is becoming increasingly more apparent that intracellular pathways are involved in the etiology and treatment of the disease and that a true understanding of the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder must address its neurobiology at different physiological levels, that is, molecular, cellular, systems and behavioral levels. There is now considerable biochemical evidence that the antimanic agents lithium and valproate robustly activate the ERK signaling cascade in therapeutically relevant paradigms. This raises the possibility that this pathway may play a role in the antimanic effects of these agents. The present paper reviews behavioral studies that may shed light on the involvement of the ERK pathway in affective-like behaviors in animals. The available literature suggests that genetic manipulations of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-ERK kinase pathway produces a variety of changes in affective-like behaviors, with most changes consistent with manic-like behavior. Thus, overall, mice with targeted mutation of the BDNF gene exhibited increased spontaneous locomotion and increased response to acute amphetamine, altered response to chronic cocaine, increased aggression, increase in risk-taking behavior, as demonstrated by time spent in the center of an open field, and changes in eating patterns. Although it has to be acknowledged that the currently available behavioral data from the BDNF-ERK pathway mutants is less than ideal to offer real substantiation relating this pathway to bipolar disorder, the data still supports the possibility that this pathway modulates manic-like behavior in animals, and perhaps mania in humans.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Sep
pubmed:issn
0214-0934
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
16
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
453-63
pubmed:dateRevised
2009-11-19
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2003
pubmed:articleTitle
Possible involvement of the ERK signaling cascade in bipolar disorder: behavioral leads from the study of mutant mice.
pubmed:affiliation
Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-4405, USA. einath@intra.nimh.nih.gov
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Review