Environmental manipulation affects depressive-like behaviours in female Wistar-Kyoto rats

摘要: While the efficacy of pharmacological interventions to treat depression has been well-studied in animal models, much less work done shed light on how changes immediate environment can impact behaviour. Furthermore, most studies have focused male rodents despite prevalence mood disorders women. In this study, 36 Wistar Kyoto (validated model depression) and (control) female rats were used examine effects environmental manipulation depressive- anxiety-like behaviours. Animals assigned one three groups: standard (3 rats/cage), enriched (6 rats/cage plus physical enrichment), isolation (1 rat/cage) housing. The elevated maze (EPM) forced swim test (FST) conducted prior to, four weeks after assignment measure depressive-like behaviours, respectively. Sucrose preference assessed anhedonia both before assignment. Weight was measured every week monitor weight-gain over time. Post-environment sucrose significantly increased animals housing as compared those isolated strains. there significant differences between strains measures open arm duration EPM immobility FST, appeared be no groups. results study highlight importance factors expression anhedonia. Enrichment appears reduce while increases These should studied further assess whether longer periods social enrichment alleviate other symptoms depression.