Difference of symptomatology of unipolar and bipolar depression - pilot findings

Abstract

antidepressant-like effect. In addition the actual immobility time and the latency to the first immobility episode (i.e. the time that elapses since placing the animals into the water cylinders up to the first immobility episode) were measured. Statistics: The results were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Newman-Keuls test. The analysis of the data involves a between group factor, treatment. The diving scores were not subjected to statistical analysis since only very few animals occasionally displayed this behaviour. Results:The results show that both HU210 and SR14171A increase the swimming scores and reduce immobility time. However, HU210, but not SR141716A, increased the latency to the first immobility episode. Moreover, the antidepressant-like effect of the CB1 agonist, HU-210, was antagonised by haloperidol.Conclusion: These results, taken together with the clinical data on rimonabant, suggest that the latency to the first immobility episode might reveal 'false positives' in this test. This interpretation would also resolve the discrepancy between the pre-clinical and the clinical evidence. Morever we found that the antidepressant-like effect of the CB1 receptor stimulation is antagonized by blockade of dopamene receptors, suggesting that this effect might be mediated by the activation of dopamine transmission.