title: Behavioral responses of high and low active male rats to the chronic ingestion of desipramine.
abstract: Male rats arbitrarily selected for high and low motor activity (HA and LA-rats) were submitted to the chronic ingestion (30 days) of desipramine (DSP) in doses of about 1.5, 3 and 6 mg/kg/24 hr. Their motor activity was assessed in an animal activity monitor providing a measure of total horizontal movements and vertical movements and in a hole-board providing a measure of locomotion, head-dipping and grooming. There were significant differences between HA and LA-rats in their behavioral response to DSP treatment. At the doses used DSP did not affect horizontal and vertical movements and hole-board locomotion or exploration in HA-rats (Experiment 1). In LA-rats, however (Experiment 2), these motor activities were significantly stimulated by DSP. Such effect was dose dependent; 1.5 mg/kg/24 hr was ineffective while 6 mg/kg/24 hr produced a clear cut reversion of hypoactivity. It is speculated that DSP treatment increased resistance of LA-rats to the mild stress caused by testing.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003891:Desipramine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D003891:Desipramine