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Differential regulation of BDNF in juvenile rats after escitalopram and desipramine treatment
Author(s) -
Kozisek Megan E.,
Deupree Jean D.,
Murrin L. Charles,
Happe H. Kevin,
Middlemas David,
Bylund David B.
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-a
Depression is a severe mental illness that affects adults, as well as children and adolescents. Escitalopram (ESC), a SSRI, is an effective antidepressant in treating depression in adults and children. Desipramine (DMI), a tricyclic antidepressant, is effective in adults, but not in children or adolescents. We injected juvenile (PND 9) rats with ESC (2, 4 and 8 mg/kg/injection) and DMI (1, 2, and 3.5 mg/kg/injection) for four days, twice a day. Rats were euthanized fourteen hours after the last injection and the hippocampi were promptly removed. One hippocampus was analyzed for BDNF protein and the other for BNDF and TrkB mRNA. BNDF protein and message were significantly increased in the 8 mg/kg/injection ESC treated rats compared to control and lower doses of ESC. However, there was no increase in BDNF protein or message in the desipramine treated pups at any dose compared to control. Similarly, TrkB mRNA levels were increased only in the ESC treated rats. The failure of DMI to increase BDNF and TrkB levels in juvenile rats is consistent with the lack of efficacy of DMI in children and adolescents. This could be due to the relatively immature adrenergic nervous system, as compared to the serotonergic system, in young animals. Support: MH64772 and UNMC Graduate School Fellowship