title: Forced swimming and imipramine modify plasma and brain amino acid concentrations in mice.
abstract: The relationships between monoamine metabolism and forced swimming or antidepressants have been well studied, however information is lacking regarding amino acid metabolism under these conditions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of forced swimming and imipramine on amino acid concentrations in plasma, the cerebral cortex and the hypothalamus in mice. Forced swimming caused cerebral cortex concentrations of L-glutamine, L-alanine, and taurine to be increased, while imipramine treatment caused decreased concentrations of L-glutamate, L-alanine, L-tyrosine, L-methionine, and L-ornithine. In the hypothalamus, forced swimming decreased the concentration of L-serine while imipramine treatment caused increased concentration of beta-alanine. Forced swimming caused increased plasma concentration of taurine, while concentrations of L-serine, L-asparagine, L-glutamine and beta-alanine were decreased. Imipramine treatment caused increased plasma concentration of all amino acid, except for L-aspartate and taurine. In conclusion, forced swimming and imipramine treatment modify central and peripheral amino acid metabolism. These results may aid in the identification of amino acids that have antidepressant-like effects, or may help to refine the dosages of antidepressant drugs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Advanced Animal and Marine Bioresources, Graduate School of Bioresource and Bioenvironmental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: Tatsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: Haruka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamane
authors.forename: Shozo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomonaga
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furuse
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032763:Behavior Control; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D007099:Imipramine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D007099:Imipramine