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Immediate early gene response to antidepressants acting on the noradrenergic system differs between juvenile and adult rats
Author(s) -
Murrin L. Charles,
Qutidal,
Kozisek Megan E.,
Bylund David B.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.6.a784
Subject(s) - juvenile , antidepressant , arc (geometry) , desipramine , serotonin , neuroscience , escitalopram , immediate early gene , medicine , endocrinology , psychology , hippocampus , biology , receptor , gene , gene expression , genetics , biochemistry , geometry , mathematics
Adults respond to antidepressant drugs acting on the noradrenergic (NE) system, .e.g., desipramine (DMI), and on the serotonin (5HT) system, SSRIs such as escitalopram (E). Children and adolescents generally respond only to SSRIs. We hypothesize this is due to the slower development of the NE system and that drugs acting on this system produce different effects in developing vs. adult brain. The immediate early genes (IEGs), Arc and zif268, play important roles in learning and memory and in brain regions associated with mood. Adult and juvenile (PND 9) rats received E, DMI or vehicle for 4 days and were sacrificed on day 5. Although both treatments altered IEG expression in some brain regions, E produced similar changes in adults and juveniles with few exceptions. By contrast, DMI produced differential changes in IEG expression in many regions. These studies demonstrate that juvenile and adult brains respond in a similar manner to drugs acting on the 5HT system, but very differently to drugs acting on the NE system. This is consistent with our hypothesis that different rates of development in neuronal systems lead to age‐related differences in response to antidepressants. Supported by MH66959 (DBB).