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Antidepressant effects of nicotine in an animal model of depression.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Tizabi, Y; Overstreet, DH; Rezvani, AH; Louis, VA; Clark, E; Janowsky, DS; Kling, MA
Published in: Psychopharmacology (Berl)
February 1999

Epidemiological studies indicate a high incidence of cigarette smoking among depressed individuals. Moreover, individuals with a history of depression have a much harder time giving up smoking. It has been postulated that smoking may reflect an attempt at self-medication with nicotine by these individuals. Although some animal and human studies suggest that nicotine may act as an antidepressant, further verification of this hypothesis and involvement of nicotinic cholinergic system in depressive symptoms is required. Flinders Sensitive Line (FSL) rats have been proposed as an animal model of depression. These rats, selectively bred for their hyperresponsiveness to cholinergic stimulation, show an exaggerated immobility in the forced swim test compared to their control Flinders Resistant Line (FRL) rats. Acute or chronic (14 days) administration of nicotine (0.4 mg/kg s.c.) significantly improved the performance of the FSL but not the FRL rats in the swim test. The effects of nicotine on swim test were dissociable from its effects on locomotor activity. Moreover, the FSL rats had significantly higher [3H]cytisine binding (selective for the alpha4beta2 nicotinic receptor subtype) but not [125I]alpha-bungarotoxin binding (selective for the alpha7 subtype) in the frontal cortex, striatum, midbrain and colliculi compared to FRL rats. These data strongly implicate the involvement of central nicotinic receptors in the depressive characteristics of the FSL rats, and suggest that nicotinic agonists may have therapeutic benefits in depressive disorders.

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Published In

Psychopharmacology (Berl)

DOI

ISSN

0033-3158

Publication Date

February 1999

Volume

142

Issue

2

Start / End Page

193 / 199

Location

Germany

Related Subject Headings

  • Tritium
  • Receptors, Nicotinic
  • Rats
  • Quinolizines
  • Psychiatry
  • Nicotinic Agonists
  • Nicotine
  • Motor Activity
  • Male
  • Iodine Radioisotopes
 

Citation

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Tizabi, Y., Overstreet, D. H., Rezvani, A. H., Louis, V. A., Clark, E., Janowsky, D. S., & Kling, M. A. (1999). Antidepressant effects of nicotine in an animal model of depression. Psychopharmacology (Berl), 142(2), 193–199. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130050879
Tizabi, Y., D. H. Overstreet, A. H. Rezvani, V. A. Louis, E. Clark, D. S. Janowsky, and M. A. Kling. “Antidepressant effects of nicotine in an animal model of depression.Psychopharmacology (Berl) 142, no. 2 (February 1999): 193–99. https://doi.org/10.1007/s002130050879.
Tizabi Y, Overstreet DH, Rezvani AH, Louis VA, Clark E, Janowsky DS, et al. Antidepressant effects of nicotine in an animal model of depression. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1999 Feb;142(2):193–9.
Tizabi, Y., et al. “Antidepressant effects of nicotine in an animal model of depression.Psychopharmacology (Berl), vol. 142, no. 2, Feb. 1999, pp. 193–99. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s002130050879.
Tizabi Y, Overstreet DH, Rezvani AH, Louis VA, Clark E, Janowsky DS, Kling MA. Antidepressant effects of nicotine in an animal model of depression. Psychopharmacology (Berl). 1999 Feb;142(2):193–199.
Journal cover image

Published In

Psychopharmacology (Berl)

DOI

ISSN

0033-3158

Publication Date

February 1999

Volume

142

Issue

2

Start / End Page

193 / 199

Location

Germany

Related Subject Headings

  • Tritium
  • Receptors, Nicotinic
  • Rats
  • Quinolizines
  • Psychiatry
  • Nicotinic Agonists
  • Nicotine
  • Motor Activity
  • Male
  • Iodine Radioisotopes