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Reduction In Phencyclidine Induced Sensorimotor Gating Deficits In The Rat Following Increased System Xc − Activity In The Medial Prefrontal Cortex, Victoria Lutgen, Krista Qualmann, Jon M. Resch, Linghai Kong, Sujean Choi, David A. Baker

Biomedical Sciences Faculty Research and Publications

Rationale: Aspects of schizophrenia, including deficits in sensorimotor gating, have been linked to glutamate dysfunction and/or oxidative stress in the prefrontal cortex. System x_c ⁻, a cystine–glutamate antiporter, is a poorly understood mechanism that contributes to both cellular antioxidant capacity and glutamate homeostasis.

Objectives: Our goal was to determine whether increased system x_c ⁻ activity within the prefrontal cortex would normalize a rodent measure of sensorimotor gating.

Methods: In situ hybridization was used to map messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of xCT, the active subunit of system x_c ⁻, in the prefrontal cortex. Prepulse inhibition was …