Tamoxifen antagonizes the effects of ovarian hormones to induce anxiety and depression-like behavior in rats.
The effects of tamoxifen (TAM) on anxiety and depression-like behavior in ovariectomized (OVX) and naïve female rats were investigated. The animals were divided into Sham-TAM, OVX-TAM, Sham and OVX groups. Tamoxifen (1 mg/kg) was administered for 4 weeks. In the forced swimming test, the immobility times in the OVX and Sham-TAM groups were higher than in the Sham group. In the open field, the numbers of central crossings in the OVX and Sham-TAM groups were lower than the number in the Sham group, and the number of peripheral crossings in the OVX group was lower than the number in the Sham group. In the elevated plus maze, the numbers of entries to the open arm among the animals in the Sham-TAM and OVX groups were lower than the number in the Sham group, while the number of entries to the open arm in the OVX-TAM group was higher than the number in the OVX group. It was shown that deletion of ovarian hormones induced anxiety and depression-like behavior. Administration of tamoxifen in naïve rats led to anxiety and depression-like behavior that was comparable with the effects of ovarian hormone deletion. It can be suggested that tamoxifen antagonizes the effects of ovarian hormones. It also seems that tamoxifen has anxiolytic effects on ovariectomized rats.
Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran.
Hamid
H
Azizi-Malekabadi
Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Masoume
M
Pourganji
Neurogenic Inflammation Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Hoda
H
Zabihi
Mashhad Technical Faculty, Technical and Vocational University, Mashhad, Iran.
Mohsen
M
Saeedjalali
Neurocognitive Research Center, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
Mahmoud
M
Hosseini
D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000523:psychology; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013550:Swimming; D013629:Tamoxifen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D013629:Tamoxifen