Effect of MK-801 and ketamine on hydroxyl radical generation in the posterior cingulate and retrosplenial cortex of free-moving mice, as determined by in vivo microdialysis.

This study investigated the effect of MK-801 and ketamine, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists which can induce schizophrenic symptoms and have neurotoxicity in human and animals, on hydroxyl radical (*OH) generation in the posterior cingulate and retrosplenial (PC/RS) cortex of free-moving mice using the salicylic acid trapping technique. MK-801 (0.6 mg/kg) or ketamine (50 mg/kg) acute administration significantly increased *OH levels in mouse PC/RS cortex. The basal *OH levels after MK-801 and ketamine administrations for 7 consecutive days were significantly increased compared with the naive basal levels. MK-801 (0.6 mg/kg) or ketamine (50 mg/kg) challenge after chronic administration further significantly increased dialysate levels of *OH. Our study also found that the release of *OH was secondary to stereotyped behavior, and the intensity of stereotyped behavior induced by MK-801 was more than that induced by ketamine. The results suggested that NMDA receptor antagonists participate in the generation of *OH in the PC/RS cortex of mouse, and oxidative stress, derived from the formation of free radicals, might play an important role in the pathophysiology of these two models of schizophrenia.