The Effect of NKCC1 Inhibitor Azosemide on Emotional Behaviors and Hippocampal GABA Levels in a Rat Model of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Abstract
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that can occur immediately or years after exposure to a traumatic event. Despite extensive research, the etiology of PTSD is largely unknown, but it is thought that impaired GABAergic transmission may play a role in the disease process. Using a single prolonged stress (SPS) procedure, we aimed to determine the effect of azosemide, a sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter (NKCC1) inhibitor, on anxiety and memory-related behaviors and hippocampal GABA level in rats. Behavioral tests were performed by open field test and passive avoidance test, while hippocampal GABA levels were determined by ELISA. We found that azosemide treatment partially improved emotional behavior and significantly improved memory performance in rats with PTSD, without affecting the decline in hippocampal GABA levels induced by a SPS exposure. These findings suggest that azosemide may offer partial therapeutic benefits for symptoms of PTSD, particularly cognitive deficits. However, they underscore the necessity for multimodal approaches to address the various neurobiological underpinnings of the disorder.
Keywords
Post-traumatic stress disorder, Azosemide, Hippocampus, Rat
Supporting Institution
This study is funded by TUBITAK 2209-A Research Project Support Programme for Undergraduate Students
Project Number
1919B012305656
Ethical Statement
All procedures involving the animals were conducted with the approval of the Sivas Cumhuriyet University Animal Experiments Local Ethics Committee (Decision No: 65202830-050.04.04-72).
Thanks
We would like to thank the Sivas Cumhuriyet University, School of Medicine, CUTFAM
Research Center, Sivas, Turkey, for providing the necessary facilities to conduct this study.
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