Peculiarities of motor activity of rats in simulation pharmacological depressogenic states

Abstract

The aim: To analyze and compare the features of changes in the motor activity of rats on the background of pharmacological models of depressive disorders. Materials and methods: Depressive-like state was simulated on 40 mature male Wistar rats using: reserpine (15 mg/kg), clonidine (0.1 mg/kg), haloperidol (0.25 mg/kg). The control group was given as a single dose 0.5 ml of a 0.9% sodium chloride solution intraperitoneally. After 3, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours from the beginning of the experiment, changes in motor activity in the “open field” test were examined by the number of crossed squares, the calculation was carried out within 5 minutes. Results: Reserpine at a dose of 15 mg/kg caused probable motor activity disorders in rats in the “open field” test during all study periods. The most pronounced inhibition of motor activity was observed within 12-48 hours from the beginning of the experiment. 3 hours after clonidine administration, the number of crossed squares decreased by 310% (p<0.001), after 12 hours – by 180% (p<0.001), after 24 hours – by 140% (p<0.001), after 48 hours – by 50% (p<0.005) in comparison with the control group. On 3rd day, the motor activity of rats was almost completely restored. The use of haloperidol after 3 hours most significantly impaired the motor activity of rats in the “open field” test, and its recovery was observed after 24 hours. Conclusions: Reserpine inhibited the motor activity of rats, most pronounced from 12 to 48 hours of the experiment. Clonidine inhibited mainly in the first hours of the study. Haloperidol impaired motor activity at 3rd and 12th hours of observation.