Effects of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine lesion of the dorsal raphe nucleus on the antidepressant-like action of tramadol in the unpredictable chronic mild stress in mice. Yalcin, I., Coubard, S., Bodard, S., Chalon, S., & Belzung, C. Psychopharmacology, 200(4):497--507, November, 2008.
doi  abstract   bibtex   
RATIONALE: Tramadol is a centrally acting clinically effective analgesic, with a weak opioid receptor affinity. It shows antidepressant-like effects in animal models such as forced swimming test, learned helplessness, and unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) and enhances the concentrations of noradrenaline (NA) and serotonin (5-HT) by interfering with their reuptake and release mechanisms, like some antidepressants. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore whether the antidepressant-like effects of tramadol is affected by the serotonergic system. For this purpose, the effects of a lesion of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) by 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) on the action of tramadol (20 mg/kg, i.p.) on depression-related behavior and neurochemical correlates were investigated in mice. From the third week onward, we administered tramadol chronically during 4 weeks. RESULTS: Tramadol reversed the physical and behavioral abnormalities induced by the UCMS. Furthermore, the lesion of the DRN by 5,7-DHT antagonized the antidepressant-like effects of tramadol on the coat state, in the splash test but not in the resident-intruder test. The results obtained by high-pressure liquid chromatography showed that the level of 5-HT was reduced by the lesion in some brain regions without affecting the level of NA. Moreover, while the UCMS regimen diminished the level of 5-HT, tramadol increased the level of this neurotransmitter in certain regions. CONCLUSIONS: These results seem to indicate that the serotonergic system is critically involved in the antidepressant-like effects of tramadol in the UCMS in mice.
@article{ yalcin_effects_2008,
  title = {Effects of 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine lesion of the dorsal raphe nucleus on the antidepressant-like action of tramadol in the unpredictable chronic mild stress in mice},
  volume = {200},
  issn = {0033-3158},
  doi = {10.1007/s00213-008-1227-3},
  abstract = {{RATIONALE}: Tramadol is a centrally acting clinically effective analgesic, with a weak opioid receptor affinity. It shows antidepressant-like effects in animal models such as forced swimming test, learned helplessness, and unpredictable chronic mild stress ({UCMS}) and enhances the concentrations of noradrenaline ({NA}) and serotonin (5-{HT}) by interfering with their reuptake and release mechanisms, like some antidepressants.
{OBJECTIVES}: The aim of this study was to explore whether the antidepressant-like effects of tramadol is affected by the serotonergic system. For this purpose, the effects of a lesion of the dorsal raphe nucleus ({DRN}) by 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-{DHT}) on the action of tramadol (20 mg/kg, i.p.) on depression-related behavior and neurochemical correlates were investigated in mice. From the third week onward, we administered tramadol chronically during 4 weeks.
{RESULTS}: Tramadol reversed the physical and behavioral abnormalities induced by the {UCMS}. Furthermore, the lesion of the {DRN} by 5,7-{DHT} antagonized the antidepressant-like effects of tramadol on the coat state, in the splash test but not in the resident-intruder test. The results obtained by high-pressure liquid chromatography showed that the level of 5-{HT} was reduced by the lesion in some brain regions without affecting the level of {NA}. Moreover, while the {UCMS} regimen diminished the level of 5-{HT}, tramadol increased the level of this neurotransmitter in certain regions.
{CONCLUSIONS}: These results seem to indicate that the serotonergic system is critically involved in the antidepressant-like effects of tramadol in the {UCMS} in mice.},
  language = {eng},
  number = {4},
  journal = {Psychopharmacology},
  author = {Yalcin, Ipek and Coubard, Stéphanie and Bodard, Sylvie and Chalon, Sylvie and Belzung, Catherine},
  month = {November},
  year = {2008},
  pmid = {18581097},
  keywords = {5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine, Animals, Antidepressive Agents, Behavior, Animal, Brain, Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid, Depression, Disease Models, Animal, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred {BALB} C, Raphe Nuclei, Serotonin, Stress, Psychological, Tramadol},
  pages = {497--507}
}

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