Na+,K+-ATPase activity is increased in rats subjected to chronic administration of ketamine

Abstract

De Luca RD, Fraga DB, Ghedim FV, Kolling J, Ferreira AGK, Cunha AA, Wyse ATS, Zugno AI. Na+,K+-ATPase activity is increased in rats subjected to chronic administration of ketamine.Objective: Schizophrenia is a devastating psychiatric disorder. Symptoms of schizophrenia can be divided into positive, negative and cognitive, and the physiopathology is still been unknown. Na+,K+-ATPase is a protein in its role as a maintainer of fluid balance in all mammals and alterations in this enzyme could cause brain abnormalities. The aim of our study was to investigate the activity of this enzyme in rats submitted to chronic administration of ketamine.Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were submitted to sub-anaesthetic doses of the 25 mg/kg ketamine by seven consecutive days and the Na+,K+-ATPase activity was analysed in prefrontal and hippocampus of rats.Results: We observed an increase in Na+,K+-ATPase activity in prefrontal cortex administration of 25 mg/kg ketamine. However, ketamine has no effect in hippocampus.Conclusion: This evidence indicates that the alteration in Na+,K+-ATPase may be related with glutamatergic system and consequently could be related to the development of schizophrenia.