Palmitoylethanolamide as an intervention for preventing schizophrenia in a maternal immune activation rodent model

The major problem with intervention for schizophrenia is the inability to treat all symptom categories (positive, negative, and cognitive) sufficiently. The need to test new novel therapies is crucial, which may prevent the onset of this debilitating disorder. Since intervention is limited to individuals at high risk, researchers have turned to animal models to test novel therapies or to identify biomarkers translatable to the human condition. It is thought that the added stress of coming into adulthood expedites the psychotic symptoms in high-risk individuals. This can be translated into animal models via prenatal immune activation. We propose to use the maternal immune activation model (the viral mimic lipopolysaccharide [LPS] during pregnancy) combined with stress activation during adolescence (one-time injection of HPA-axis activator, yohimbine) along with extensive behavioural analysis and brain histology to test specific interventions. We will investigate the possible preventative effects of ultramicronized palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and associated endocannabinoid-mediated mechanisms. PEA is an endogenous anti-inflammatory lipid mediator in the brain that can be consumed safely as a dietary supplement in youth. The main priority of this project is to attempt to prevent the onset of schizophrenic-like symptoms in adulthood and to identify possible biomarkers of this disease’s pathology.

Faculty Supervisor:

Francis Bambico

Student:

Partner:

Université de Tours

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Biotechnology; Health and Related Sciences & Technology; Pharmaceuticals

University:

Memorial University of Newfoundland

Program: