Antidepressant-like effects of omega-3 fatty acids and fluoxetine are potentiated by combined treatment in rats

LAINO, C.H., SLOBODIANIK, N., REINÉS, A.G.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Congreso; . XXXIX Reunion anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Farmacologia Experimental; 2007

Depression is a psychiatric disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Current pharmacological treatment has numerous potential side effects, is not effective for all individuals and  possesses at least a two-week delay period for its onset of action. In coincidence with the high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids including the essential fatty acids (EFAs) in the brain, recent research underscores the important role of omega-3 fatty acids (ù-3) in the central nervous system function and the EFAs potential in the treatment of various neuropsychiatric disorders. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether omega-3 fatty acids, give alone or in combination with the antidepressant fluoxetine (FLX), would produce antidepressant-like actions in rats. We found that compared to control diet, ù-3 diet significantly decreased the immobility time and increased behaviors of swimming during the forced swimming test (FST), indicating that ù-3 has antidepressant-like effects in rats. Moreover, FLX effects were potentiated by dietary supplementation with ù-3 given daily for 16 days which rendered decreased immobility and increased swimming when measured 24 h after the last injection. In any case, ù-3 diet supplementation modified neither rat body weight nor locomotor activity. Our findings suggest that potentiation of FLX with ù-3 fatty acids diet deserves further study as a possible strategy for patients with depression.