title: Thyroid hormones in the rat amygdala as common targets for antidepressant drugs, mood stabilizers, and sleep deprivation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There have been repeated reports of antidepressant effects of thyroid hormones. In this study, we investigated whether antidepressant treatments enhance the concentrations of thyroid hormones in rat brain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each of the groups of rats was treated for 14 days with one of the following: an antidepressant drug (desipramine, paroxetine, venlafaxine, or tianeptine); a mood stabilizer (lithium or carbamazepine); or 8 hours' partial sleep deprivation. Thyroid hormone concentrations were quantified in homogenates, nuclei, mitochondria, synaptosomes, myelin, and microsomes in 11 rat brain areas.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No drug effects were seen on nuclear triiodothyronine (T(3)) concentrations in any brain area. In the amygdala, all antidepressant drugs enhanced the levels of T(3) in the myelin fraction. Triiodothyronine molecules were identified in the myelin by immunogold labeling. Quantification of the major lipid components showed a selective decrease in cholesterol in the myelin of the amygdala after desipramine treatment. Desipramine induced an increase in protein concentrations, 3,5-diiodothyronine levels, and the activity of the mitochondrial enzyme succinate dehydrogenase in the mitochondria of the amygdala. Lithium, carbamazepine, and partial sleep deprivation raised the levels of T(3) in synaptosomes of the amygdala.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results demonstrate that thyroid hormones in the amygdala are a common target of different antidepressant and mood-stabilizing therapies.
authors: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Universitätsklinikum Benjamin-Franklin, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
authors: Graziano
authors: G
authors: Pinna
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Broedel
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Eravci
authors: Gisela
authors: G
authors: Stoltenburg-Didinger
authors: Hanna
authors: H
authors: Plueckhan
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Fuxius
authors: Harald
authors: H
authors: Meinhold
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Baumgartner
mesh_terms: D015087:2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases / Q000032:analysis; D027322:Amino Acid Transport System X-AG / Q000378:metabolism; D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018692:Antimanic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000379:methods; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009249:NADP / Q000032:analysis; D015388:Organelles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D050765:Qa-SNARE Proteins; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000378:metabolism*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D016704:Synapsins / Q000378:metabolism; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D027322:Amino Acid Transport System X-AG; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018692:Antimanic Agents; D017252:CD3 Complex; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D050765:Qa-SNARE Proteins; D016704:Synapsins; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D009249:NADP; D004247:DNA; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D013385:Succinate Dehydrogenase; D015087:2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases