Lithium treatment restores clonidine's effect in an animal model of depression.
IP administration of various doses of clonidine produces significant increases in growth hormone levels in the Wistar rats but not in the Fawn-Hooded (FH) rats, a rat strain suggested to be a genetic model of depression. However, short-term lithium treatment restores clonidine's effect on growth hormone levels in the Fawn-Hooded rats. Potentiation of clonidine's effect on growth hormone levels following short-term lithium treatment appears most likely due to increased serotonergic function as a consequence of enhanced 5-HT concentrations at postsynaptic 5-HT1C receptor sites. Thus, the reversal of a deficit state in Fawn-Hooded rats by lithium treatment supports earlier studies suggesting this rat strain to represent a genetic model of depression.
Laboratory of Clinical Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
C S
CS
Aulakh
J L
JL
Hill
D L
DL
Murphy
D000818:Animals; D003000:Clonidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004357:Drug Synergism; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D016651:Lithium Carbonate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D016651:Lithium Carbonate; D013006:Growth Hormone; D003000:Clonidine