Desipramine and citalopram attenuate pretest swim-induced increases in prodynorphin immunoreactivity in the dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the lateral division of the central nucleus of the amygdala in the forced swimming test

The forced swimming test (FST) has been widely used as an effective behavioral test for screening of antidepressant efficacy (Cryan et al., 2005; Lucki, 1997). Rodents previously subjected to a 15-min pretest swim tended to show prodepressive behavior as evidenced by increased immobility in a 5-min test swim conducted 24 h later. However, antidepressant treatments administered during the 24 h after the pretest swim reduce immobility during the test swim (Detke et al., 1995). These results suggest that some neuroplastic changes occur between the pretest swim and test swim, and that antidepressant treatment after the pretest swim may alter these neuroplastic changes, thereby reducing immobility during the test swim.
Source: Neuropeptides - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Source Type: research