Antioxidant N-Acetylcysteine
improves cognitive symptom of Schizophrenia

Newsletter # 96


In vivo studies


■ N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a membrane-permeable cysteine precursor that replenishes the endogenous antioxidant Glutathione stores. Clinical evidence indicates that increased oxidative stress due to a deficit in the antioxidant defense system may play an important role in the pathophysiology of Schizophrenia 1. This hypothesis was strengthened by the fact that several clinical trials involving antioxidant supplementation with N-Acetylcysteine report improvement in the symptoms of schizophrenic patients 2.

■ Neurofit found that in the preclinical model of Schizophrenia, Phencyclidine (PCP) induced cognitive deficit in mice, 3-days treatment with NAC improves the symptom in a dose-dependent manner. This finding further supports the therapeutic benefit of NAC in Schizophrenia.

1: https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5545.39753
2: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.11.001





  • ***, p ≤ 0.001 significantly different as compared
    to PCP / Placebo group (n = 10 mice per group)
  • Enhanced cognitive performance in PCP-mice following NAC treatment

    ■ The graph shows the cognitive performance of mice as measured by their spontaneous alternation in the T-maze. PCP-induced deficit is evidenced by the decrease in the spontaneous alternation of mice (blue vs red column), because of stereotyped and perseverative behavior on the visit of the same arm of the T-maze.

    ■ Such a symptom is also common in schizophrenic patients.
    https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2006.01.024







If you are interested in these models and would like to learn more about them or other models and assays available at NEUROFIT, please visit our website : THERAPEUTIC AREA or TESTS sections
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