Antidepressant-like effects of ceftriaxone in male C57BL/6J mice.
BACKGROUND
Excessive glutamatergic neurotransmission is hypothesized to be associated with depressive-like behaviors and possibly major depressive disorder (MDD). Recent evidence that beta-lactam antibiotic agents stimulate uptake of glutamate suggests that this class of compounds might possess antidepressant-like activity.


METHODS
Three-month old, male, C57BL/6J mice were administered ceftriaxone (200 mg/kg IP) for 14-18 days, then tested in the tail-suspension, forced swim, and novelty-suppressed feeding tests to determine whether ceftriaxone had similar effects to classical antidepressant compounds in these models.


RESULTS
Ceftriaxone treatment had an antidepressant-like effect across models. Reduced immobility and decreased freezing were observed in the forced swim and tail suspension tests. The same trend was seen in novelty-suppressed feeding, but the effect was not statistically significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Ceftriaxone demonstrates antidepressant-like effects in several mouse models. This is consistent with the hypothesis that enhanced uptake of glutamate might have antidepressant-like effects.
Mineur
Yann S
YS
Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06519, USA.
Picciotto
Marina R
MR
Sanacora
Gerard
G
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001143:Arousal / Q000187:drug effects*; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005239:Fear / Q000187:drug effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects*; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009042:Motivation; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D002443:Ceftriaxone