Effects of escitalopram treatment and chronic mild stress induced from peripuberty on spermatic parameters of adult rats.

Abstract

The prevalence of depression in adolescents has significantly increased worldwide. Escitalopram is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor approved for treatment of psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents by the Food and Drugs Administration. This study aimed to evaluate the sperm parameters of adult rats exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS), from peripuberty to adulthood, treated or not with escitalopram. Sixty-two male rats were distributed into four groups: S - submitted to CMS; E - Escitalopram (10mg / kg, via gavage); ES - CMS + ES; SC - Sham control. The induced depression protocol consisted of the exposure of the animals to nine different stressors (one stressor/day), randomly for 8weeks, from peripuberty (41 days postpartum, dpp) to adulthood (97 dpp). The escitalopram treatment period started at 70 dpp and lasted 4weeks. The euthanasia was performed for biological material collection at 114 dpp. Morphometric, biometric, sperm parameters, oxidative stress analyses, and corticosterone dosage were carried out. There was a reduction of the sperm daily production and sperm concentration in the epididymis of rats treated and/or submitted to CMS. These groups (E, S, ES) also showed reduction of the mitochondrial activity; acrosome integrity; sperm chromatin compaction; sperm motility and vitality, besides an increased frequency of morphologically abnormal sperm. The sperm transit time through the epididymis was significantly higher in the escitalopram-treated rats (E, ES). No differences were observed regarding the sperm DNA fragmentation. The lipid peroxidation was significantly increased at the epididymal (E, S, and ES group) and testicular levels (S group). The CMS with or without escitalopram treatment altered the oxidative status in sperm and male organs, worsening the qualitative and quantitative sperm parameters, which can probably compromise the male fertility.