Reduction of intraspecific aggression in adult rats by neonatal treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor

Most studies suggest that serotonin exerts an inhibitory control on the aggression process. According to experimental evidence, this amine also influences growth and development of the nervous tissue including serotoninergic neurons. Thus, the possibility exists that increased serotonin availability...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Brazilian journal of medical and biological research 2001-01, Vol.34 (1), p.121-124
Main Authors: Manhães de Castro, R, Barreto Medeiros, J M, Mendes da Silva, C, Ferreira, L M, Guedes, R C, Cabral Filho, J E, Costa, J A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
aggression
Aggression - drug effects
Animals
Animals, Newborn
BIOLOGY
Body Weight
Citalopram - pharmacology
development
Male
MEDICINE, RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL
neonatal treatment
Random Allocation
Rats
Rats, Wistar
serotonin
Serotonin Uptake Inhibitors - pharmacology
Time Factors
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Summary:Most studies suggest that serotonin exerts an inhibitory control on the aggression process. According to experimental evidence, this amine also influences growth and development of the nervous tissue including serotoninergic neurons. Thus, the possibility exists that increased serotonin availability in young animals facilitates a long-lasting effect on aggressive responses. The present study aimed to investigate the aggressive behavior of adult rats (90-120 days) treated from the 1st to the 19th postnatal day with citalopram (CIT), a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (20 mg/kg, s.c., every 3 days). Aggressive behavior was induced by placing a pair of rats (matched by weight) in a box (20 x 20 x 20 cm), and submitting them to a 20-min session of electric footshocks (five 1.6-mA - 2-s current pulses, separated by a 4-min intershock interval). When compared to the control group (rats treated for the same period with equivalent volumes of saline solution), the CIT group presented a 41.4% reduction in the duration of aggressive response. The results indicate that the repeated administration of CIT early in life reduces the aggressive behavior in adulthood and suggest that the increased brain serotoninergic activity could play a role in this effect.
ISSN:0100-879X
1414-431X
0100-879X
0034-7310
DOI:10.1590/S0100-879X2001000100015