Depression is associated with significant deficits in spatial memory. The present study assessed spatial memory in an animal model of depression. Wistar rats (n=28), males and females, were administered reserpine (0.0 or 1.0 mg/kg/every 2 days for 4 days). At termination of the treatment the rats were tested for motor function (bar test) and for anxiety response (elevated plus maze). The animals were then trained for a week (daily sessions of 5 min) in a multiple T-maze, which assesses spatial memory. The elevated plus maze test was then repeated and subsequently the animals were sacrificed and the hippocampus dissected to measure BDNF levels through a Western blot. In the bar test, the reserpine-treated rats exhibited similar grasping, yet reduced mobility, when compared to vehicle-treated peers. Reserpine-treated rats exhibited, in both elevated plus maze tests and when compared to con...

Los cuadros depresivos en humanos cursan con significativas alteraciones en la memoria espacial. Este trabajo estudió esta función en un modelo animal de depresión. Ratas Wistar (n=28), machos y hembras, fueron administradas con reserpina (0.0 o 1.0 mg/kg/cada 2 días por cuatro días). Luego del tratamiento se evaluó la función motora a través de la prueba de la barra y la respuesta de ansiedad a través de un laberinto elevado en cruz. Posteriormente, los animales fueron entrenados durante una semana (en sesiones diarias de 5 minutos) en un laberinto de múltiples T que indaga la memoria espacial. Luego se repitió la evaluación en el laberinto elevado en cruz y los animales fueron sacrificados para disecar el hipocampo y medir los niveles de BDNF a través de western blot. En la prueba de la barra los animales tratados con reserpina tuvieron una respuesta motora con igual agarr...

Depression is associated with significant deficits in spatial memory. The present study assessed spatial memory in an animal model of depression. Wistar rats (n=28), males and females, were administered reserpine (0.0 or 1.0 mg/kg/every 2 days for 4 days). At termination of the treatment the rats were tested for motor function (bar test) and for anxiety response (elevated plus maze). The animals were then trained for a week (daily sessions of 5 min) in a multiple T-maze, which assesses spatial memory. The elevated plus maze test was then repeated and subsequently the animals were sacrificed and the hippocampus dissected to measure BDNF levels through a Western blot. In the bar test, the reserpine-treated rats exhibited similar grasping, yet reduced mobility, when compared to vehicle-treated peers. Reserpine-treated rats exhibited, in both elevated plus maze tests and when compared to con...