Effects of pregabalin on neurobehavior in an adult male rat model of PTSD

• Published in: PloS one 2018-12, Vol.13 (12), p.e0209494-e0209494
• Main Authors: Valdivieso, Debra A, Baughan, 2nd, Thomas G, Canavati, Ursuline M, Rey, Allison M, Trotter, Cristal L, Burrell, Destynni R, Buonora, John E, Ceremuga, Tomás Eduardo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal memory; Animals; Anxiety; Behavioral despair; Biology and Life Sciences; Disease Models, Animal; Exploration; Exploratory Behavior - drug effects; Exploratory Behavior - physiology; Humans; Male; Maze Learning - drug effects; Medicine and Health Sciences; Memory tasks; pH; Post traumatic stress disorder; Posttraumatic stress disorder; Pregabalin - administration & dosage; Prospective Studies; Rats; Research and Analysis Methods; Rodents; Social Sciences; Spatial analysis; Spatial discrimination learning; Spatial memory; Spatial Memory - drug effects; Spatial Memory - physiology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - drug therapy; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - physiopathology; Swimming; γ-Aminobutyric acid
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209494

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be a very debilitating condition. Effective approaches to prevent and treat PTSD are important areas of basic science research. Pregabalin (PGB), a gabapentinoid derivative of γ-aminobutyric acid, possesses the potential to positively affect neurobehavioral changes associated with PTSD. Using a rodent model of PTSD, the aims of this study were to determine the effects of PGB as a possible prevention for the development of PTSD-like symptoms and its use as a possible treatment. A prospective, experimental, between groups design was used in conjunction with a three-day restraint/shock PTSD stress model. Sixty rats were randomly assigned between two groups, non-stressed and stressed (PTSD). Each of the main two groups was then randomly assigned into six experimental groups: control vehicle, control PGB, control naïve, PTSD vehicle, PTSD Pre-PGB (prophylactic), PTSD Post-PGB (non-prophylactic). The neurobehavioral components of PTSD were evaluated using the elevated plus maze (EPM), Morris water maze (MWM), and forced swim test (FST). Pregabalin administered 24 hours before the initial PTSD event or for 10 days following the last PTSD stress event did not statistically improve mean open arm exploration on the EPM, spatial memory, and learning in the MWM or behavioral despair measured by the FST (p > 0.05).