Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology

New model of psychogenic stress-induced depression and antioxidant system of rat brain

Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology 2011; 21: -
Read: 539 Published: 22 March 2021

The present article describes results of investigation of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activity in the brain cells of laboratory rats, that were subjected to a depression-like state. The above-mentioned state was achieved by means of a new model of depression elaborated by us. The model is based on the application of stressors of psychogenic nature. Our investigations demonstrated that in the depression-like state activity of lipid peroxidation processes increase, which was confirmed by increase of concentration of its end product – malondialdehyde, both in mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions of brain cells. In response to oxidative stress in mitochondria, activity of antioxidant system –namely the leading intracellular antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) – increased. On the other hand, concentration of another important antioxidant –catalase– decreased. Most probably, the depletion of antioxidative potential of the cell, related to depression, proceeds at various speeds in various enzymatic systems. Administration of the antidepressant drug –şuoxetine– led to the normalization of intensity of lipid peroxidation and overall activity of antioxidative systems. Thus, if activity of these processes increases, antidepressants cause their down-regulation and in they decrease –antidepressants lead to their up-regulation. As a final result, this leads to normalization of cell functioning.

EISSN 2475-0581