[Abstract Title]. - Society for Neuroscience

propagating depressive-like behavior. Recently, evidence has emerged supporting a role for
glutamate/GABA dysfunction underlying depressive symptoms. We hypothesize the differences
found in the medial thalamus/habenula reflect dysregulation of glutamate/GABA in addition to
monoamines, and that modulation of this or other target areas can reverse depressive-like
behavior.
Disclosures: M.M. Mirrione , None; D. Schulz, None; S.L. Dewey, None; F.A. Henn, None.
Poster
255. Mood Disorders: Animal Models and Treatment Effects II
Time: Sunday, November 16, 2008, 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Program#/Poster#: 255.15/Y30
Topic: C.15.h. Affective disorders: Animal models
Support: Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sport (219-1081970-2032)
The National Foundation for Science, Higher Education and Technological
Development of the Republic of Croatia
CIHR (MOP-42438)
Title: Chronic fluoxetine treatment has significant effect on the density of serotonin transporters
in FSL and FRL rats, with a greater effect in the FSL rats
Authors: T. KOVACEVIC 1,3 , I. SKELIN 2 , M. DIKSIC 2,3 ;
2 Montreal Neurolog. Inst., 1 McGill Univ., Montreal, QC, Canada; 3 Fac. of Med., Univ. J. J.
Strossmayer, Osijek, Croatia
Abstract: FSL (Flinders Sensitive Line) and FRL (Flinders Resistant Line) rats were bred from
Sprague Dawley (SDR) rats to produce rats with increased (FSL) and decreased (FRL)
sensitivity to a cholinergic drug, diisopropylfluorophosphate, an inhibitor of cholinesterase. FSL
rats show reduced appetite and psychomotor function, sleep and immune abnormalities, while
FRL rats are, in many behavioral aspects, similar to the SDR rats and are therefore usually used
as control animals for studies of FSL rats. The objective of the present investigation was to
assess the changes in serotonin transporter (SERT) density in a rat depression model (FSL rats)
relative to changes in the FRL rats following chronic fluoxetine treatment. The rats received
fluoxetine or saline, every day for 14 days (10 mg/kg, i. p.). On the 15 th day, the rats were
decapitated, the brains were extracted, frozen in isopantane, and stored at -85°C. The rat brains
were cut into 20 µm thick coronal sections in a cryostat. The slides were immersed in the pre-