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Updated: Feb 21, 2026

Developing a Rat Model for Bipolar Disorder
Published on: May 2, 2025
Lithium and Tamoxifen Modulate Behavior and Protein Kinase C Activity in the Animal Model of Mania Induced by Ouabain
Samira S Valvassori1, Gustavo C Dal-Pont1, Wilson R Resende1
1Laboratory of Neuronal Signaling and Psychopharmacology, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Criciúma, SC, Brazil; Laboratory of Neurosciences, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Criciúma, SC, Brazil; Laboratory of Inborn Errors of Metabolism, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Health Sciences Unit, University of Southern Santa Catarina, Criciúma, SC, Brazil; Translational Psychiatry Research Group and Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil; Translational Psychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas; Center of Excellence on Mood Disorders, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, Houston, Texas; Neuroscience Graduate Program, The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston, Houston, Texas.
Background:
The intracerebroventricular injection of ouabain, a specific inhibitor of the Na+/K+-adenosine-triphosphatase (Na+/K+-ATPase) enzyme, induces hyperactivity in rats in a putative animal model of mania. Several evidences have suggested that the protein kinase C signaling pathway is involved in bipolar disorder. In addition, it is known that protein kinase C inhibitors, such as lithium and tamoxifen, are effective in treating acute mania.
Methods:
In the present study, we investigated the effects of lithium and tamoxifen on the protein kinase C signaling pathway in the frontal cortex and hippocampus of rats submitted to the animal model of mania induced by ouabain. We showed that ouabain induced hyperlocomotion in the rats.
Results:
Ouabain increased the protein kinase C activity and the protein kinase C and MARCKS phosphorylation in frontal cortex and hippocampus of rats. Lithium and tamoxifen reversed the behavioral and protein kinase C pathway changes induced by ouabain. These findings indicate that the Na+/K+-ATPase inhibition can lead to protein kinase C alteration.
Conclusions:
The present study showed that lithium and tamoxifen modulate changes in the behavior and protein kinase C signalling pathway alterations induced by ouabain, underlining the need for more studies of protein kinase C as a possible target for treatment of bipolar disorder.
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