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Forced swim test behavior in postpartum rats.

R M Craft¹, M L Kostick, J A Rogers

¹Department of Psychology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4820, USA. craft@wsu.edu

Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and Behavior

|July 6, 2010

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Postpartum female rats exhibit reduced active coping behaviors but not increased immobility on the forced swim test (FST). Antidepressant treatments were ineffective in preventing FST-induced immobility in these animals.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Behavioral Endocrinology
Reproductive Biology

Background:

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant concern, yet its underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
Previous studies suggest depression-like behaviors in hormone-simulated pregnancy (HSP) models, but data from naturally pregnant females is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate depression-like behaviors in gonadally intact female rats during the early postpartum period.
To assess the efficacy of antidepressant medications in mitigating these behaviors.

Main Methods:

Female rats were tested on the forced swim test (FST) during the first week postpartum.
Animals were treated with nomifensine, sertraline, or desipramine.
Some rats were pre-exposed to FST during mid-pregnancy.

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Main Results:

Postpartum rats showed reduced swimming/diving and increased defecation compared to virgin controls.
Nomifensine, but not sertraline or desipramine, decreased immobility on postpartum day 2.
FST pre-exposure-induced immobility was not reversed by antidepressants in postpartum females, unlike in virgin controls.

Conclusions:

Postpartum females display altered "active coping" behaviors, but not necessarily increased immobility, in the early postpartum phase.
Standard antidepressant medications are less effective in mitigating FST-induced immobility in postpartum rats compared to virgin controls.
Hormonal differences between natural and simulated pregnancy may explain variations in depression-like behaviors.