Chkhartishvili E, Maglakelidze N, Babilodze M, Chijavadze E, Nachkebia N
Laboratory of Neurobiology of Sleep-Wakefulness Cycle, Life Science Research Centre, Tbilisi, Georgia.
Georgian Med News. 2011 Nov;11(200):107-12.
Animal model of depression was developed by means of chronic exposure of rat pups to anticholinergic drugs (Atropine, Scopolamine) during the early life period from postnatal day 7 (P7) and/or 14 (P14) to P21 and/or P28, respectively. Such procedure resulted in lasting behavioral changes that were evident long after drug discontinuation and persisted at mature age (2-3 month period). Behavioral changes included most indices of open field behavior. Modeled animals exhibited significant depression of locomotor activity certified by sharp reduction of the number of crossed squares, rising of a head and vertical standings. Grooming behavior was also significantly decreased. Frequency of center entrance and the time of staying in the center of open field were sharply shortened. Modeled animals exhibited complete loss of exploratory motivation which wasn't related to the enhancement of fear emotion so far as values of incidence of urination and defecation remained unchangeable. These findings indicate that postnatal exposure of rat pups to Atropine and/or Scopolamine induces lasting behavioral "despai"' or "refractory loss of interest" at mature age. In sum animal model of depression which are characterized by super sensitivity of brain muscarinic cholinergic system exhibit more depressed behavioral items in open field than other types of animal models of depression. These data imply the preference of muscarinic cholinergic super sensitivity for the development of depressive state and therefore they are very significant for both basic science and clinical research issues.
通过在出生后第7天（P7）和/或14天（P14）至P21和/或P28的早期生命阶段，将幼鼠长期暴露于抗胆碱能药物（阿托品、东莨菪碱）来建立抑郁症动物模型。这种方法导致了持久的行为变化，在停药后很长时间仍很明显，并持续到成熟年龄（2 - 3个月）。行为变化包括旷场行为的大多数指标。建模动物表现出明显的运动活动抑制，表现为穿过方格的数量急剧减少、抬头和垂直站立次数增加。梳理行为也显著减少。进入旷场中心的频率和在旷场中心停留的时间急剧缩短。建模动物表现出完全丧失探索动机，这与恐惧情绪的增强无关，因为排尿和排便发生率的值保持不变。这些发现表明，幼鼠出生后暴露于阿托品和/或东莨菪碱会在成熟年龄诱导持久的行为“绝望”或“兴趣顽固性丧失”。总之，以脑毒蕈碱胆碱能系统超敏为特征的抑郁症动物模型在旷场中表现出比其他类型的抑郁症动物模型更多的抑郁行为项目。这些数据意味着毒蕈碱胆碱能超敏在抑郁状态发展中的偏好，因此它们对基础科学和临床研究问题都非常重要。
