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Salud mental
versión impresa ISSN 0185-3325
Resumen
ALVAREZ SILVA, Adriana y FERNANDEZ-GUASTI, Alonso. Does the antidepressant-like effect of mirtazapine and venlafaxine differ between male and female rats?. Salud Ment [online]. 2020, vol.43, n.1, pp.3-9. Epub 05-Jun-2020. ISSN 0185-3325. https://doi.org/10.17711/sm.0185-3325.2020.002.
Introduction
Depression is a global health problem with nearly 350 million people affected, mainly women. However, nowadays a rising amount of men are being diagnosed. This makes necessary the screening of new treatment options that are effective in women as well as in men.
Objective
To analyze if the administration of mirtazapine and venlafaxine to male and female rats shows a sex-related antidepressant-like effect, and the possible associated neurochemical mechanisms.
Method
Mirtazapine (40 mg/kg) or venlafaxine (60 mg/kg) were administered subchronically to young adult male and female (ovariectomized and steroid-primed) rats, and their antidepressant-like effects were evaluated using the forced swim test (FST). The active behaviors, swimming and climbing, were also analyzed.
Results
a) mirtazapine and venlafaxine reduced immobility in the FST in males and females; b) both antidepressants increased climbing and swimming in male rats; c) in female rats, mirtazapine and venlafaxine only increased swimming.
Discussion and conclusion
In males, the effects of mirtazapine and venlafaxine seem to be produced by the activation of the serotonergic and noradrenergic systems. Conversely, estradiol might be modulating the mechanisms of action of both antidepressants in females producing only an increased swimming and suggesting the participation of the serotonergic system.
Palabras llave : Mirtazapine; venlafaxine; antidepressants; sex differences; forced swim test.