An organic selenium compound attenuates apomorphine-induced stereotypy in mice.

Selenium compounds display neuroprotective activities mediated at least in part by their antioxidant actions. Oxidative damage has been implicated in psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and an alteration in expression of selenium-binding protein-1 (SELENBP-1) has been recently reported in both the blood and brain of schizophrenic patients. In the present study we examined the effects of the organic selenium compound 3'3-ditrifluoromethyldiphenyl diselenide [(F3CPhSe)2] on apomorphine-induced stereotypy in mice, an animal model of psychosis. Systemic administration of (F3CPhSe)2 at the highest dose used (25.0 micromol/kg in a 10.0 ml/kg injection volume) significantly reduced apomorphine-induced stereotyped behaviors. A series of control experiments showed that the same dose of (F3CPhSe)2 did not affect open-field behavior, habituation, or aversively motivated memory. The results indicate that organic selenium compounds should be further investigated as agents with possible antipsychotic properties.

Facilitation of long-term object recognition memory by pretraining administration of diphenyl diselenide in mice.

Selenium compounds display antioxidant and neuroprotective properties. Diphenyl diselenide (PhSe)(2) is an organic selenium compound that affects a number of neuronal processes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the systemic administration of (PhSe)(2) on novel object recognition memory in mice. Adult male CF1 mice were given an i.p. injection of (PhSe)(2) (0.2, 1.0, 5.0, or 25.0 micromol/kg) 30 min before training in an object recognition task. (PhSe)(2) did not affect short-term memory or the total time exploring both objects, but induced a facilitation of retention measured 24 h after training. The present findings show that systemic administration of (PhSe)(2) induces a facilitation of formation of long-term object recognition memory.