title: Effects of long-term etanercept treatment on anxiety- and depression-like neurobehaviors in rats.
abstract: Growing evidence indicates that there is a correlation between depression and inflammation. Administration of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents for treatment of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as psoriasis, was associated with decreased depressive symptoms and increased quality of life in some clinical studies. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of chronic etanercept, a TNF-α inhibitor, on anxiety- and depression-like neurobehaviors in rats. Male rats were treated for 8 weeks with either saline or etanercept (0.8 mg/kg/week, subcutaneously). The anxiety levels of rats were evaluated using the elevated plus maze, a classical rodent model of anxiety and depression was measured using the force swimming test, a behavioral despair task. The anxiety-like neurobehaviors of the animals were found significantly decreased after the etanercept treatment. Etanercept significantly decreased immobility time in rat model of despair test, seemed to have an antidepressive effect in rats. Compared to saline treatment, long-term etanercept treatment had no effect on the total number and pattern of locomotor activities. Findings of the study supported the hypothesis that TNF-α has a role in the modulation of emotional processes and its inhibition may represent a novel strategy for the treatment of affective disorders.
authors.affiliation: Kocaeli University Medical School, Department of Dermatology, Kocaeli, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dilek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bayramgürler
authors.forename: Ayşe
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karson
authors.forename: Cüneyt
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ozer
authors.forename: Tijen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Utkan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000068800:Etanercept; D046353:Immobility Response, Tonic / Q000187:drug effects; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000068800:Etanercept
keywords: Elevated plus maze; Etanercept; Forced swimming; Inflammation; TNF-α