title: Effects of amitriptyline and fluoxetine on synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus of hippocampal formation in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several studies have been shown that antidepressant drugs have contradictory effects on cognitive processes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of amitriptyline and fluoxetine on synaptic plasticity in the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampal formation in rat.
  
  
  METHODS
  Experimental groups were the control, the fluoxetine, and amitriptyline. The rats were treated for 21 days and then, paired pulse facilitation/inhibition (PPF/I) and long-term potentiation (LTP) in perforant path-DG synapses were assessed (by 400 Hz tetanization). Field excitatory post-synaptic potential (fEPSP) slope and population spike (PS) amplitude were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of PPF/I showed that PS amplitude ratios were increased in 10-70 ms inter-stimulus intervals in the amitriptyline group compared to the control group. In the fluoxetine group, EPSP slope ratios were decreased in intervals 30, 40, and 50 ms inter-stimulus intervals compared to the control group. The PS-LTP was significantly lower in the fluoxetine and the amitriptyline groups with respect to the control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that fluoxetine and amitriptyline affect synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus and these effects is probably due to the impact on the number of active neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ghasem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zarei
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran ; Applied Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran ; Biosensor Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Parham
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Reisi
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Hojjatallah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran ; Applied Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Shaghayegh Haghjooye
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Javanmard
keywords: Amitriptyline; dentate gyrus; fluoxetine; hippocampus; synaptic plasticity