Acute versus repeated administration of desipramine in rats and mice: Relationships between brain concentrations and reduction of immobility in the swimming test

✍ Scribed by M. Poncelet; G. Gaudel; S. Danti; Ph. Soubrié; P. Simon

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1986
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 242 KB
• Volume: 90
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0033-3158
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00172885

✦ Synopsis

Immobility scores in the swimming test and brain concentrations of desipramine were determined in rats and mice following repeated injection of the antidepressant versus acute administration of either a behaviorally effective or ineffective dose of the drug. Five injections (IP) of desipramine (each injection being performed at the measured T1/2 of the drug in the brain) reduced immobility scores by 30%, whereas this regimen resulted in brain drug concentrations not different from those obtained after a single, behaviorally ineffective dose of desipramine. It is suggested that the enhanced "antidepressant" response such as that frequently observed in animals after repeated injection of imipramine-like drugs does not involve accumulation of the drug in the brain.