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Updated: Jun 30, 2026

The Forced Swim Test as a Model of Depressive-like Behavior
Published on: March 2, 2015
Antidepressant behavioral effects of duloxetine and amitriptyline in the rat forced swimming test
Honório Sampaio Menezes1, Bárbara Beatriz Moreira Bueno, Leandro Ciulla
1IC, Cardiology University Foundation, Porto Alegre, Brazil. hsmenezes@computech.com.br
Purpose:
To compare the effects of the antidepressant drugs duloxetine and amitriptyline on depressive behaviors in rats.
Methods:
Fifteen male Wistar rats were given systemic injections of duloxetine, amitriptyline or saline prior to a Forced Swimming Test (FST). Immobility and number of stops were measured. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA and Kruskall-Wallis.
Results:
Rats given injections of duloxetine displayed fewer stops than the amitriptyline and control group (p< 0.05). The control group and Amitriptyline showed no difference (p=0.8).
Conclusion:
Duloxetine reduced depressive behaviors in the Forced Swimming Test been more effective than amitriptyline.
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