Serotonin Receptor Electrophysiology in Cortical Neurons Critical for the Response to Antidepressants

The gold standard for treating depression is a class of medicines known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Recent research identified a subgroup of layer V pyramidal neurons in the cerebral cortex important for the antidepressant action of SSRIs. Using transgenic mice that have these p11-expressing neurons labeled with GFP, I characterized these neurons and their neighbours under control conditions and after chronic treatment with the SSRI fluoxetine (FLX). Experiments were conducted with a particular focus on serotonin (5-HT) responses, using whole-cell recording in acute brain slices of motor and prefrontal cortex. Further investigation explored the effects of chronic FLX treatment in a mouse model of stress. I found that chronic FLX treatment has significant effects on neurons in both motor and prefrontal cortices, that p11-expressing neurons differ subtly in their response to 5-HT, and that there is evidence of an interaction between stress and FLX treatment in p11-expressing neurons.M.Sc.2018-03-03 00:00:0