Differential effects of desipramine and electroconvulsive shock on brain catecholamine levels and turnover rates in muricidal OB rats and normal control rats

• Published in: Japanese Journal of Pharmacology 1986, Vol.40 (suppl), p.147-147
• Main Authors: Iwasaki, Katsunori, Tani, Yoshihiro, Kimura, Kiyo, Shibata, Shigenobu, Ueki, Showa, Fujiwara, Michihiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0021-5198; 1347-3506
• DOI: 10.1016/S0021-5198(19)59195-8

Noradrenergic systems are involved in the development and maintenance of muricide, which is a well-known type of experimental depression. The present study investigated the catecholamine (CA) change by desipramine (DMI) and electroconvulsive shock (ECS) correlated with suppressing muricide of olfactory bulbectomized (OB) rats. Following olfactory bulbectomy, noradrenaline (NA) levels were increased in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), lateral hypothalamus (LH) and medial amygdala (AME) while NA turnover rates were decreased in the LH and AME and the dopamine (DA) level in the LH. In the normal control rats. DMI, 20 mg/kg i.p. increased NA levels of the VMH and LH without a change of NA turnover rates. However. DMI suppressed muricide and decreased the high level of NA in the VMH and increased NA turnover rates in the LH and AME of muricidal OB rats. The effect of ECS showed a similar NA change to that of DMI in OB These findings suggest that CA rats, but was without effect in normal control rats. changes, and drug effects in muricidal OB rats were different from normal control rats and that muricide is suitable for study of antidepressants.