The roles of γ-aminobutyric acid and sertraline on the cognition in rats of depression induced by acute stress

Abstract

Objective To study the effects of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and sertraline on the cognition functions in acute stressed rats.Methods Y-type maze were used to test the cognitive function of Male SD (Sprague-Dawley) rats.They were exposed to the forced-swimming stress test,which was to make acute stress model of depression.Except control group,rats were pretreated with different doses of GABA and/or sertraline,then the time of immobility in the forced-swimming test and latency in the maze were observed individual.Results Compared with the model group[(1404.33±129.46)s] ,GABA could decrease the immobility time obviously in the forced-swimming test [(432.33±187.64) s ＞ (332.50±217.23) s,P ＜ 0.01].Otherwise the immobility time was prolonged with 0.50 g/kg GABA + 10 mg/kg sertraline (1086.17±411.80) s (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with the control group(105.00±32.18)s,the latency in the maze was prolonged remarkably in the model group (179.17±8.54) s(P＜ 0.05).Pretreatment with 10 mg/kg sertraline(100.30±21.01) s or GABA and sertraline groups (69.83±16.89) s,(86.83±13.11) s (P ＜ 0.05 or 0.01) could decrease the latency.Conclusion GABA could play its role of antagonizing acute depression.Meanwhile,pretreatment with appropriate doses of GABA and sertraline not ordy could decrease doses of two drugs but also improve the cognitive function in the acute stress rats. Key words: Aminobutyric acid; Sertraline; Acute stress; Depression; Cognition