title: Dose-dependent effects of caffeine on behavior and thermoregulation in a chronic unpredictable stress model of depression in rats.
abstract: The effects of the non-selective adenosine A(1)/A(2) receptor antagonist caffeine on behavior and thermoregulation in chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) model of depression was studied in Wistar rats. In the open field (OF) test, caffeine dose-dependently increased motor activity while decreased grooming and time spent in the corner. Five-week exposure to CUS procedure had the opposite effect in rats. Caffeine reversed CUS-induced effects on the above mentioned parameters. Caffeine (40 mg/kg) increased the motor activity in plus maze (PM) test while at doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg it decreased the number of entries in the open arms. Whereas CUS did not change the level of anxiety, caffeine (2, 20 and 40 mg/kg) administered after CUS diminished it by increasing the time in open arms. Caffeine dose-dependently decreased the immobility time while CUS had the opposite increasing effect in forced swimming test (FST). Caffeine at doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg reversed the effect of CUS on immobility in FST. Caffeine produced dose-dependent rice of body temperature in both non-treated and CUS-treated rats. The hyperthermic effect in normal rats pretreated with caffeine lasted about 90 min while in caffeine-pretreated rats exposed to CUS it lasted about 150 min. High dose of caffeine (100mg/kg) induced significant hypothermia between 90th and 150th minute in control rats and hyperthermia between 30th and 60th minute in CUS-treated rats. These results suggest a putative role of this methylxanthine in the adaptive responses to chronic unpredictable stress stimuli.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurobiology, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., Bl. 23, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pechlivanova
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tchekalarova
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nikolov
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yakimova
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000494:pharmacology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013550:Swimming
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D002110:Caffeine