title: Evidence for the locus coeruleus involvement in desipramine action in animal models of depression.
abstract: Desipramine (DMI) effectively antagonized hypothermia induced by reserpine and clonidine in rats. DMI effects were attenuated or even abolished after electrolytic or 6-hydroxydopamine-induced lesion of the locus coeruleus (LC) as well as by administration of DSP-4 (N-(2-chloroethyl)-N-ethyl-2-bromobenzylamine), a selective noradrenergic neurotoxin. Contrary to the LC lesions, electrolytic destruction of the ventral noradrenergic bundle did not change DMI action but antagonized reserpine-induced hypothermia by itself. Our results underline a possible involvement of the LC system in mechanism of antidepressive action, which was suggested previously in this laboratory.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001596:Benzylamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D003000:Clonidine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003863:Depression / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003891:Desipramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006892:Hydroxydopamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D008125:Locus Coeruleus / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D016627:Oxidopamine; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012110:Reserpine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D001596:Benzylamines; D006892:Hydroxydopamines; D012110:Reserpine; D016627:Oxidopamine; D003000:Clonidine; C012102:DSP 4; D003891:Desipramine