Biomaterial Database

Amitriptyline and scopolamine in an animal model of depression. 1981

R J Katz, and S Hersh

Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to acute (95 dB white noise) or chronic stress, or their combination. In comparison with unstressed controls, stressed rats were more active upon several measures of open field activity. A history of chronic stress eliminated the acute stress induced activation. Concurrent treatment of chronically stressed rats with amitriptyline or scopolamine, or with a combination of both drugs resulted in selective behavioral improvement (i.e., in motor activity, latency, defecation) for amitriptyline and combined treatment rats, with significant restoration of the normal behavioral response. Scopolamine however was only marginally effective. A higher dose of scopolamine proved effective, but only with a marked disruption of baseline activity. Examination of plasma corticosterone titers indicated that chronic stress induced an elevation of basal levels and that this was reversed by amitriptyline, scopolamine, and combined drug treatment. Thus while behavioral depression and elevated corticosteroids may covary they are not identically mediated.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007837	Latency Period, Psychological	The period from about 5 to 7 years to adolescence when there is an apparent cessation of psychosexual development.	Latency Period (Psychology),Latency Period, Psychology,Latency Periods (Psychology),Latency Periods, Psychological,Latency Periods, Psychology,Period, Latency (Psychology),Period, Psychological Latency,Period, Psychology Latency,Periods, Latency (Psychology),Periods, Psychological Latency,Periods, Psychology Latency,Psychological Latency Period,Psychological Latency Periods,Psychology Latency Period,Psychology Latency Periods
D008297	Male		Males
D009043	Motor Activity	Body movements of a human or an animal as a behavioral phenomenon.	Activities, Motor,Activity, Motor,Motor Activities
D003345	Corticosterone	An adrenocortical steroid that has modest but significant activities as a mineralocorticoid and a glucocorticoid. (From Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p1437)
D003672	Defecation	The normal process of elimination of fecal material from the RECTUM.	Bowel Function,Bowel Movement,Bowel Functions,Bowel Movements,Defecations
D003863	Depression	Depressive states usually of moderate intensity in contrast with MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER present in neurotic and psychotic disorders.	Depressive Symptoms,Emotional Depression,Depression, Emotional,Depressive Symptom,Symptom, Depressive
D004195	Disease Models, Animal	Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases.	Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D004359	Drug Therapy, Combination	Therapy with two or more separate preparations given for a combined effect.	Combination Chemotherapy,Polychemotherapy,Chemotherapy, Combination,Combination Drug Therapy,Drug Polytherapy,Therapy, Combination Drug,Chemotherapies, Combination,Combination Chemotherapies,Combination Drug Therapies,Drug Polytherapies,Drug Therapies, Combination,Polychemotherapies,Polytherapies, Drug,Polytherapy, Drug,Therapies, Combination Drug
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000639	Amitriptyline	Tricyclic antidepressant with anticholinergic and sedative properties. It appears to prevent the re-uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin at nerve terminals, thus potentiating the action of these neurotransmitters. Amitriptyline also appears to antagonize cholinergic and alpha-1 adrenergic responses to bioactive amines.	Amineurin,Amitrip,Amitriptylin Beta,Amitriptylin Desitin,Amitriptylin RPh,Amitriptylin-Neuraxpharm,Amitriptyline Hydrochloride,Amitrol,Anapsique,Apo-Amitriptyline,Damilen,Domical,Elavil,Endep,Laroxyl,Lentizol,Novoprotect,Saroten,Sarotex,Syneudon,Triptafen,Tryptanol,Tryptine,Tryptizol,Amitriptylin Neuraxpharm,Apo Amitriptyline,Desitin, Amitriptylin,RPh, Amitriptylin