Effects of Venlafaxine and Escitalopram Treatments on NMDA Receptors in the Rat Depression Model

Depression may relate to neurocognitive impairment that results from alteration of N-methyl- d -aspartate receptor (NMDAR) levels. Venlafaxine and escitalopram are two drugs commonly used to treat depression. The drugs may affect expression of NMDARs, which mediate learning and memory formation. The...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Journal of membrane biology 2011-08, Vol.242 (3), p.145-151
Main Authors: Yilmaz, Nigar, Demirdas, Arif, Yilmaz, Mustafa, Sutcu, Recep, Kirbas, Aynur, Cure, Medine Cumhur, Eren, İbrahim
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal cognition
Animals
Antidepressants
Antidepressive Agents, Second-Generation - pharmacology
Biochemistry
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Citalopram - pharmacology
Cyclohexanols - pharmacology
Depression - drug therapy
Depression - metabolism
Disease Models, Animal
Hippocampus - drug effects
Hippocampus - metabolism
Human Physiology
Life Sciences
Male
Membranes
Mental depression
Neurochemistry
Random Allocation
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - metabolism
Rodents
Venlafaxine Hydrochloride
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Depression may relate to neurocognitive impairment that results from alteration of N-methyl- d -aspartate receptor (NMDAR) levels. Venlafaxine and escitalopram are two drugs commonly used to treat depression. The drugs may affect expression of NMDARs, which mediate learning and memory formation. The aim of the study was to examine whether the effects of venlafaxine and escitalopram treatments are associated with NMDARs in a rat model of depression. Forty male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into four groups ( n  = 10) as follows: control group, chronic mild stress group (CMS), venlafaxine (20 mg/kg body weight per day) + CMS, and escitalopram (10 mg/kg body weight per day) + CMS. After induction of depression, a decrease in the concentration of NR2B was observed; venlafaxine treatment prevented the reduction of NR2B expression. Escitalopram treatment did not effect the reduced levels of NR2B resulting from depression. There was no significant difference in NR2A concentration among groups. The present data support the notion that venlafaxine plays a role in maintaining NR2B receptor in experimental depression. It may be possible that treatment with escitalopram has no effect on NMDARs in experimental depression.
ISSN:0022-2631
1432-1424
DOI:10.1007/s00232-011-9385-3