Glycine and D-serine decrease MK-801-induced hyperactivity in mice

It is well known that the un-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist phencyclidine can induce a syndrome in humans that mimics both positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. In the light of this observation, it has been hypothesised that schizophrenia might be due to a hypofunction of central glutamate systems. A glycine agonist, by strengthening glutamatergic transmission, has been suggested to be useful as treatment. A crucial issue is the uncertainty regarding the degree of saturation of the glycine site associated with the NMDA receptor. The purpose of this study was to investigate if it is possible to strengthen NMDA receptor-mediated neurotransmission by modulating the associated glycine site. The effects of systemic and intraventricular administration of glycine, D-serine and L-serine on the hyperactivity induced in mice by the uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist MK-801 were tested. Systemically administered glycine and D-serine were found to decrease MK-801-induced hyperactivity. Intraventricularly administered D-serine in doses of 50 or 100 mu g/side was found to decrease MK-801-induced hyperactivity during the second half hour of registration; L-serine given in the same doses did not affect the MK-801-induced hyperactivity during this period. These data may suggest that the NMDA receptor-associated glycine site is not saturated in vivo.