title: Oxytocin acts as an antidepressant in two animal models of depression.
abstract: In the behavioral despair test in mice, oxytocin, i.p. injected 60 min before testing, significantly reduced the duration of immobility at doses of 0.250-1.0 mg/Kg; the effect being similar to that of imipramine (7.5-30 mg/Kg i.p.). A more powerful effect was obtained with a 10-day treatment schedule. In the learned helplessness test, oxytocin (0.500 mg/Kg/day i.p. for 8 days) significantly reduced the escape failures and the latency to escape, the effect being even more intense than that of imipramine (20 mg/Kg/day i.p. for 8 days). These results show a new behavioral effect of oxytocin, and further support its role of CNS regulatory peptide.
authors: Institute of Pharmacology, University of Modena, Italy.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Arletti
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Bertolini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004924:Escape Reaction; D005260:Female; D007099:Imipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009043:Motor Activity; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D010121:Oxytocin; D007099:Imipramine