Project Summary

Mohini Ranganathan, M.D. (Young Investigator 2007) of Yale University, seeks to better understand the role of the kappa opiate receptor (KOR) in the pathophysiology of psychosis. He proposes to do so by administering Salvinorin A (SA) in healthy human subjects. SA, which is derived from the plant Salvia divinorum and is known to produce brief psychotomimetic effects including hallucinations, is a potent KOR agonist. Animal studies have shown that KOR antagonists reverse the psychotropic effects of KOR agonists and thus may be potential treatment options for psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia. With the aim of identifying a new target for treatments, Dr. Ranganathan hopes to show that SA will induce psychotomimetic or schizophrenia-like effects in healthy humans, effects that will be reduced by treatment with the fast acting opiate antagonist Naloxone.

Program Area: SCHIZOPHRENIA/PSYCHOTIC DISORDERS

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