Action of antidepressants on the septal nuclei of the rat.
Studies on neuronal firing have shown a decrease in frequency of firing in structures not directly related to emotional processes. However, studies of the hippocampus have shown increases in firing rate. Other limbic structures not yet explored in regard to the action of antidepressants include the septal nuclei. The present work describes a common effect of various therapeutic antidepressant models. Extracellular unit recordings were obtained from the septal nuclei of rats exposed to different acute treatments: clomipramine, isocarboxazid, trazodone, sleep deprivation, and electroshock. Frequencies and firing intervals were analyzed. After treatment, an increase in firing frequency in cells of the dorsolateral septal nucleus was found. This supports the hypothesis that brain structures related to the phenomenon of self-stimulation participate in the mechanism of antidepressant treatments.
Contreras
C M
CM
Departamento de Fisiología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM, México, D.F.
Alcalá-Herrera
V
V
Marván
M L
ML
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004597:Electroshock; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012686:Septal Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D000928:Antidepressive Agents