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Intermittent and continuous swim stress-induced behavioral depression: sensitivity to norepinephrine- and serotonin-selective antidepressants

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Abstract

Rationale

Intermittent swim stress (ISS) produces deficits in swim escape learning and increases immobility in the forced swim test (FST). A previous attempt to reverse this immobility with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), fluoxetine (FLX), was unsuccessful, but the sensitivity of this immobility to other types of antidepressants is unknown.

Objectives

In experiment 1, we evaluate the ability of the norepinephrine (NE) selective reuptake inhibitor (NSRI), desipramine (DES), to reverse the ISS-induced immobility in the FST compared to confined controls (CC), while in experiment 2, we test the efficacy of either the SSRI or NSRI to reverse the immobility produced by either ISS or continuous swim (CS)/FST.

Methods

Rats were exposed to their respective behavioral pretreatment (ISS, CS/FST, or CC) and were then injected with an antidepressant or saline solution 23.5, 5, and 1 h prior to the FST.

Results

In experiment 1, DES reduced immobility and increased the climbing behavior in the ISS group without altering these behaviors in the CC, while in experiment 2, the CS/FST-induced immobility was reduced by both antidepressants (i.e., FLX and DES), while the ISS-induced immobility was only affected by DES.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the ISS-induced immobility is mediated through the NE system and may represent a model for atypical depression.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and the Department of Psychology Research Fund at the University of New Hampshire. All behavioral protocols were reviewed and approved by the University of New Hampshire Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Experiment #1 was conducted in partial fulfillment for honors in major in psychology for HM. Thanks to Megan Yee and William Wren Stine for assistance in FST behavioral scoring and statistical analysis, respectively.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of New Hampshire, Conant Hall, 10 Library Way, Durham, NH, 03824-3567, USA

    Robert C. Drugan, Heather Macomber & Timothy A. Warner

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  1. Robert C. Drugan
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  2. Heather Macomber
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  3. Timothy A. Warner
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Correspondence to Robert C. Drugan.

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Drugan, R.C., Macomber, H. & Warner, T.A. Intermittent and continuous swim stress-induced behavioral depression: sensitivity to norepinephrine- and serotonin-selective antidepressants. Psychopharmacology 212, 85–91 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-1935-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-010-1935-3

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