Neuroscience Effects of Developmental and Adult Antipsychotic Administration on Dendritic Structure in the Nucleus Accumbens

2020 Celebration of Student Research and Creativity presentation"Antipsychotic drugs are given to children to alleviate various psychiatric disorders even though there is little research on the impacts on brain development and behavior. This study explored the effects of the antipsychotic drug, risperidone, on dendritic architecture in the nucleus accumbens in rats during adolescence and adulthood. Rats were administered either vehicle or risperidone (3.0 mg/kg) from day 14 to day 42, or day 77 to day 105. These ages respectively correspond to early childhood and young adulthood. Although the data are preliminary, we have not observed significant differences in dendritic structure between rats administered risperidone during development or adulthood. Future research may explore different measures of dendritic architecture such as dendritic spine analysis in other brain regions to better understand the effects of anti-psychotic drugs on neuronal structure"https://youtu.be/pQfrcDzWeA