Effects of amphetamine administration on neurogenesis in adult rats.

ABSTRACT

In our study expression of phospho-(Ser-10)-histone H3 (pH3S10), a marker for the early stage of neurogenesis, and cellular early response genes were investigated using c-Fos protein as an example of a transcription factor in the neurogenic process in rats. Neurogenesis in the adult brain is regulated by endo- and exogenous factors, which influence the proliferation potential of progenitor cells and accelerate the dendritic development of newborn neurons. D-amphetamine, a psychoactive substance, is one of the exogenous factors able to influence the process of neurogenesis. The rats were injected with D-amphetamine at a dose of 1.5 mg/kg/body weight (b.w.) under one administration scheme. Analysis of the pH3S10 and c-Fos expression levels in the group of D-amphetamine administered rats provided evidence of enhanced expression of these proteins in the regions of neurogenesis occurrence in rats. However, conclusions concerning stimulant effects of amphetamine on neurogenesis should be formulated with great caution, taking into account amphetamine dosage and the administration scheme. It should also be remembered that doses of psychoactive substances used in animal models can be lethal to humans..