Journal
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOLOGY
Volume 605, Issue 1-3, Pages 114-116Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2009.01.002
Keywords
Forced swim test; Varenicline; Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor; Partial agonist antidepressant
Categories
Funding
- Pfizer
- NIH [MH077681, DA00436]
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH [R01MH077681] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
- NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE [K02DA000436] Funding Source: NIH RePORTER
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Varenicline, an alpha 4 beta 2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonist developed as a smoking cessation aid, showed antidepressant-like activity in the forced swim test in two mouse strains. In addition, a low varenicline dose significantly enhanced the effects of moderately active doses of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor sertraline. These findings are consistent with the notion that reducing alpha 4 beta 2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activity either by antagonists or by partial agonists that can partially activate or desensitize acetylcholine receptors is associated with antidepressant-like properties. These data suggest that varenicline may have antidepressant potential and can, when combined, augment antidepressant responses of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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