Animal model of depression: pharmacological sensitivity of a hedonic deficit.

A reduction in sucrose and saccharine consumption following chronic stress is reported for the rat. This deficit may be related to consummatory deficits seen in endogenous depression. To further examine this state pharmacologically, stressed rats were treated with the antidepressant imipramine. Despite a general absence of appetitive effects (or in some cases mild anorexia) imipramine significantly restored saccharine consumption in a variety of tests. The pharmacological similarity of the deficit to the changes accompanying affective disorders further supports the potential applicability of the chronic stress model.