Melatonin attenuated the behavioral despair induced by acute neurogenic stress through blockade of N-methyl D-aspartate receptors in mice. Issue 1 (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hajmirzaeyian, Arwin; Chamanara, Mohsen; Rashidian, Amir; Shakyba, Saied; Nassireslami, Ehsan; Akhavan-Sigari, Reza
• Is Part Of: Heliyon. Volume 7:Issue 1(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: Melatonin -- Acute foot shock stress -- NMDA receptor -- Behavioral despair -- Mice; Research -- Periodicals; Medical sciences -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Periodicals; Physical sciences -- Periodicals; 507.2
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e05900
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2405-8440

Abstract

Abstract: It has been well documented that administration of melatonin could reveal antidepressant-like effect in rodents. However, the protective effect of melatonin on stress-induced depression/anxiety and its underlying mechanism is yet to be understood. In this regard, in the current study, acute foot-shock stress (FSS) was used to evaluate the antidepressant-like effect of melatonin on neurogenic stress-induced depression in mice. Behavioral evaluation was done by using the forced swimming test (FST) and Open-field test (OFT). Melatonin, MK-801, and ketamine (NMDA receptor antagonists), and NMDA (NMDA receptor agonist) were used to elucidate any association between melatonin and NMDA pathway in behavioral despair induced by acute-FSS. Applying acute-FSS to mice significantly induced depressant-like behavior in FST without any significant impact on locomotor activity in the OFT. We observed that melatonin (dose-dependently) significantly improved the depressant-like effect of FSS, but it did not impact the locomotion in animals. Acute injection of MK-801 at sub-effective doses (0.01 mg/kg) or ketamine (0.1 mg/kg) potentiated the antidepressant-like effect of a sub-effective dose of melatonin. However, the sub-effective dose of NMDA (30 mg/kg) abolished the protective effect of melatonin on the behavioral profile of stressed animals. Our results could reflect the antidepressant-like effect of melatonin on neurogenic stress-induced depressive behaviors in mice. Also, our results showed that NMDA receptors could be involved in the antidepressant-like effect of melatonin. Abstract : Melatonin; Acute foot shock stress; NMDA receptor; Behavioral despair; Mice.