Ace Therapeutics offers Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) recording services designed specifically for animal studies of psychiatric disorders, and we address cognitive and neurodegenerative projects related to psychiatric disorders at attractive prices and fast turnaround times. Our electrophysiology analysis platform enables seamless subject and study management through reliable and flexible study acquisition and review.

Introduction of Long-Term Potentiation (LTP) in Psychiatry

Stress, ranging from mild anxiety to trauma, can dangerously disrupt the dynamic biological, physiological and psychological balance. Acute and chronic stress has profound effects on brain-body interactions and contributes largely to cognitive deficits. LTP is a process that involves sustained strengthening of synapses and can lead to a sustained increase in signal transmission between neurons. This is an important process in the context of synaptic plasticity, and LTP, along with other forms of synaptic plasticity, is often considered the closest neural model of the cellular mechanisms involved in learning and memory storage. The classical view of the effects of stress on LTP and memory function assumes an inverted U-shaped curve, whereby low temperatures and stress levels promote but high levels impair LTP induction.

Fig. 1 AMPAR trafficking model at hippocampal postsynaptic neurons. (Sumi T, et al., 2020)

LTP Services

Ace Therapeutics is committed to providing you with an exceptional macroscopic view of natural neuronal networks with fast turnaround capabilities through multiple LTP recordings and electrode array (MEA) recordings, helping you bridge the gap between cellular and in vivo assays to confirm target compound activity or study its mechanism of action.

Our Workflow

• Slicing preparation

Thick hippocampal slices are prepared using a tissue mincing machine
Hippocampal sections are continuously perfused with oxygenated ACSF (bubbled with 95% O2-5% CO2) at a rate of 3 mL/min

• Stimulation/recording protocol and compound application

Schaffer complex stimulation with recording of evoked responses in the CA1 region (fEPSP)
Stimulation intensity set to 40% of Imax
Long-term enhanced recording: 10 min under control conditions, 30 min compound exposure, LTP triggered by high frequency stimulation of afferent pathways (HFS), 60 min post-tetanus recording (in the continuous presence of compound)

Note: Species, stimulus intensity, tetanus protocol, compound exposure time and concentration can be adjusted upon request

What Can We Help You Achieve in Psychiatry with LTP?

• Examining the comparative ability of different addictive drugs to promote LTP
• Investigating the effects of compounds on long-term synaptic plasticity as well as learning and memory
• Exploring the possible roles of ion channels, astrocytes and neurons in synaptic plasticity, cognitive behavior and memory
• Delving into the mechanisms that produce cognitive deficits in psychiatric disorders

Ace Therapeutics is committed to helping researchers explore the mechanisms of memory in mental illness through LTP. With a strong background in psychiatric research, our staff can apply their expertise to help you advance the research and development of therapies for psychiatric disorders.

Reference

1. Sumi T, Harada K. Mechanism underlying hippocampal long-term potentiation and depression based on competition between endocytosis and exocytosis of AMPA receptors. Sci Rep. 2020, 10:14711.