Experiments with slices of the rat cortex were made to study the interaction between the ability of the antidepressants to inhibit the reverse uptake of 14C-noradrenaline and to inhibit its presynaptic release. The antidepressants studied are distributed into 3 groups according to the ratio of effective concentrations that block the uptake and enhance the release of 14C-noradrenaline from the slices. The first group includes the antidepressants (melipramine, chlorimipramine, Lu 5-003, Lu 3-010, S-394, pyrazidol) that have a ratio close to I and in whose mechanism of aminopotentiating action the main component is unlikely to be distinguished. The second group with a ratio less than I is represented by the substances (nortryptyline, desipramine) whose mechanism of the aminopotentiating action is determined by the inhibitory effect on the neurotransmitter reverse uptake. As to the 3d group antidepressants (thyroliberin, iprindol, noveril, C-356, C-395, amitryptyline), of great importance is their effect on the presynaptic neurotransmitter release from the terminals of the axons of noradrenergic neurons.