Nitrous oxide modulates cortical activity, wake–sleep oscillations, and produces antidepressant-like effects in mice
Samuel Kohtala, Puja K Parekh, Iman Baramaki et al. preprint
A single 50% nitrous oxide treatment rapidly increases neuronal calcium activity in the mouse medial prefrontal cortex, elevates c-Fos expression, and enhances wake-associated gamma oscillations and slow-wave activity during sleep, indicating cortical activation and synaptic potentiation. In a chronic corticosterone stress model, nitrous oxide produced antidepressant-like behavioral effects in several but not all domains. These actions parallel key effects of subanesthetic ketamine.