title: Imipramine treatment reverses depressive-like behavior in alloxan-diabetic rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A growing body of evidence has shown an association between diabetes and depression, as well a role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in diabetes and depression. The present study was designed to evaluate the behavioural and molecular effects of the anti-depressant imipramine in diabetic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  To this aim, after induction of diabetes by alloxan (150 mg/kg), Wistar rats were treated with imipramine (30 mg/kg) once a day for 14 days and then subjected to behavioural tests. BDNF was then assessed in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In diabetic rats treated with saline, we observed an increase in the immobility time, compared with control rats treated with saline. Treatment with imipramine decreased the immobility time in nondiabetic and diabetic rats, compared with both nondiabetic and diabetic rats treated with saline. In the open-field test, it was observed that treatment with imipramine reduced the number of crossings the diabetic rats performed, compared with nondiabetic rats treated with saline. The number of rearings did not alter in any of the groups. Diabetic rats injected with saline did not show altered BDNF levels in the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus or amygdala, but interestingly, the treatment with imipramine in diabetic animals increased BDNF levels in the prefrontal cortex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion, this study demonstartes a link between diabetes and depression in rats and that imipramine exerted antidepressant effects in diabetic animals.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurociências and Instituto Nacional de Ciência eTecnologia Translacional em Medicina (INCT-TM), Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Unidade Acadêmica deCiências da Saúde, Universidade do ExtremoSul Catarinense, Criciúma, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciane B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Ceretta
authors.forename: Gislaine Z
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Réus
authors.forename: Roberto B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Stringari
authors.forename: Karine F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zappellini
authors.forename: Bianca W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Aguiar
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pfaffenseller
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lersh
authors.forename: Flávio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kapczinski
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Quevedo
mesh_terms: D000496:Alloxan; D000679:Amygdala / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007099:Imipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D000496:Alloxan; D007099:Imipramine