Assessing the antidepressant-like effects of carbetocin, an oxytocin agonist, using a modification of the forced swimming test.
BACKGROUND
The distribution of oxytocin receptors in limbic regions, as well as evidence that exogenous oxytocin modulates affect and fear processing, suggests that this neuropeptide may have a role to play in the treatment of mood disorders.


OBJECTIVE
This study compared the effects of acute treatment with the oxytocin receptor agonist, carbetocin with the tricyclic antidepressant, imipramine, using male Sprague-Dawley rats.


METHODS
Intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.; 1, 10, 100 microg/rat), intravenous (i.v.; 2.5, 5 mg/kg), and intraperitoneal (i.p.; 2, 6.4, 20 mg/kg) carbetocin and imipramine (1.8, 5.6, 10 mg/kg, i.p.) were examined in the modified forced swim and open field tests. The mechanism of action of carbetocin was investigated by co-administering it with the oxytocin antagonist, atosiban, either centrally (5 microg/rat, i.c.v.) or systemically (1 mg/kg, i.v.).


RESULTS
Imipramine and carbetocin (all three routes of administration) both significantly reduced immobility and increased swimming and/or climbing behavior in the forced swim test. The systemic effects of carbetocin were blocked by central and systemic atosiban co-administration. Only amphetamine (2 mg/kg, i.p.), included as a false positive in order to distinguish whether antidepressant-like effects were due to psychomotor stimulation, increased locomotor activity in the open field test.


CONCLUSIONS
Carbetocin produced antidepressant-like changes in behavior via activation of oxytocin receptors in the CNS. The similarities between imipramine and carbetocin in the forced swim test suggest that drugs which target the oxytocinergic system may aid both the understanding and pharmacological treatment of depressive illness.
Chaviaras
Stella
S
School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Building 17, Clayton, Vic 3800, Australia.
Mak
Plato
P
Ralph
David
D
Krishnan
Lalitha
L
Broadbear
Jillian H
JH
D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D007099:Imipramine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007103:Immobilization / Q000379:methods; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000819:agonists* / Q000502:physiology; D013550:Swimming / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*
D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; D010121:Oxytocin; C020731:carbetocin; D007099:Imipramine