Dizocilpine antagonizes the effect of chronic imipramine on learned helplessness in rats

Dizocilpine coadministered with imipramine (IMI) through an SC-implanted osmotic minipump completely prevents the occurrence of behavioral supersensitivity to quinpirole, as well as the decrease of dopamine D1 and beta-adrenergic receptor function. The present report shows that, in the same experimental conditions, dizocilpine completely antagonized the capacity of IMI to prevent the development of the learned helplessness behavior in rats. Thus suggesting that the blockade of NMDA receptors also antagonizes the antidepressant effect of IMI. Interestingly, rats acutely treated with dizocilpine 30 min before the inescapable shock session behaved similarly to naive animals during the escape test session.