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L de Angelis

Publications and source records attributed to L de Angelis.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Experimental anxiety and antidepressant drugs: the effects of moclobemide, a selective reversible MAO-A inhibitor, fluoxetine and imipramine in mice.

Available evidence derived from behavioural and clinical studies indicates that antidepressant drugs may be effective as anxiolytic agents. In this connection, the present study was designed to assess the behavioural effects of three antidepressant drugs, i.e. imipramine (IMI), a non selective serotonin (5-HT) and noradrenaline re-uptake (NA) inhibitor, fluoxetine (FLU), a selective 5-HT re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI) and moclobemide (MOC), a reversible inhibitor of type A monoamine-oxidase enzyme (RIMA) on anxiety, exploratory and locomotor activities in mice. The experiments used two animal models which attempt to separate these three factors: the "light-dark aversion" test and the "open-field" test. Naive female CD1 mice were administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) 30 min before testing with IMI (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg) or FLU (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) or MOC (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg) or vehicle. Results showed that IMI (10 and 20 mg/kg), FLU (10 and 20 mg/kg) and MOC (1, 5 and 10 mg/kg) significantly reduced the aversive behavior of mice for the lit area in the light/dark aversion test, suggesting an anxiolytic-like effect. In fact, vehicle controls preferred the dark box where they spent approximately 70% of their time, indicating that light serves as an anxiogenic stimulus. Importantly, the anxiolytic-like effects of these antidepressant drugs were not associated with any increase in locomotor activity. In summary, these data suggest that FLU and the new generation of RIMA, exemplified by MOC, in terms of probable efficacy and greater safety, are of interest as treatment for a broad spectrum of anxiety disorders.

Analysis of Variance↗

Memory storage and effect of repeated treatment with a new antidepressant drug: rubidium chloride.

Following 15 days' treatment with saline, 48 mg/kg rubidium chloride, 5 mg/kg imipramine hydrochloride, 10 mg/kg sodium phenobarbitone, 1000 mg/kg piracetam, or 0.20 mg/kg strychnine nitrate all administered intraperitoneally, mice were evaluated by habituation of exploratory activity using an open-field apparatus. In control animals a significant (P less than 0.05) decrease in open-field responses (ambulation, rearing and defaecation) was seen following a 1-day intersession interval and there was no retention of exploratory activity after a 5-day intersession interval. Administration of imipramine or phenobarbitone for 15 days was found to impair retention of memory after 1 day, whereas treatment with rubidium chloride, piracetam, or strychnine for 15 days improve retention after a 5-day intersession interval.

Animals↗

The differential effects of post-session administration of amineptine and imipramine on memory processes in mice.

The effects of post-trial administration of amineptine, a dopaminergic antidepressant drug, were compared with those of memory-facilitating (strychnine, piracetam) or impairing drugs (phenobarbital, imipramine) on an experimental model of memory. Mice were given two sessions in open-field test and the decrease in activity at the second session (habituation) served as an index of retention. The good retention observed with a 1-day inter-session interval was impaired by post-session administration of phenobarbital (10 mg/kg i.p.) or imipramine (5.0 mg/kg i.p.). The poor retention observed with a 5-day inter-session interval was enhanced by post-session administration of strychnine (0.20 mg/kg i.p.), piracetam (1000 mg/kg i.p.) and amineptine (10 mg/kg i.p.). These findings show that different profiles of cognitive and psychomotor effects were produced by imipramine and amineptine. Amineptine, lacking sedative and anticholinergic properties which are characteristic of imipramine, interferes positively with learning and memory, in a manner similar to piracetam and strychnine.

Animals↗