Effects of antidepressants on behavioral assessment in adolescent rats

Abstract EN

Objective : To assess the usefulness of the forced swim test (FST) in juvenile rats and to determine the efficacy of two antidepressants on the behavioral changes of adult and juvenile rats.

Design : Animal interventional study.

Setting : Department of Pharmacology, Creighton University, Omaha, USA.

Method : Adult and 28 days old rats received saline, Imipramine or Fluoxetine three times during the 24 hours between 15 minutes pre-swim and the 5 minutes swim test.

Immobility, swimming and climbing behaviors were measured.

Locomotor activity was assessed for 28 days old rats in an open field test.

Result : Imipramine-treated juvenile rats had a decrease of immobility and increase climbing behavior, whereas Fluoxetine-treated juveniles had a decrease in immobility and increase in swimming behavior, both in a dose dependent manner.

Conclusion : The present study clearly showed that the antidepressant effects of Imipramine and Fluoxetine can be applied to juvenile rats in the forced swim test; it could be validated as practical model for screening of the antidepressant effects.