The effect of chronic treatment with imipramine on the immunoreactivity of animals subjected to a chronic mild stress model of depression.
A depression-like state was induced in Wistar rats by chronic (3-week) exposure to very mild, unpredictable stress, which led to diminished food consumption and diminished preference for sweet drinks (anhedonia). Anhedonia was then abolished by 5 weeks of daily administration of imipramine to the continually stressed animals. One day after the last drug injection and stressful event, a statistically significant decrease in the proliferative activity of splenocytes to Con A stimulation in vitro was observed in those animals. Eight weeks of stress (without antidepressant therapy) affected likewise, but in a less potent and non-significant manner, the activity of splenocytes. Administration of imipramine alone for a period of 5 weeks did not modify the activity of these cells.
Kubera
M
M
Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow, Poland.
Basta-Kaim
A
A
Papp
M
M
D000818:Animals; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003863:Depression / Q000276:immunology*; D007099:Imipramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology*
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D007099:Imipramine