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. 2009 Jan 27:3:1.
doi: 10.3389/neuro.08.001.2009. eCollection 2009.

A trans-dimensional approach to the behavioral aspects of depression

João M Bessa  1 , Ana R Mesquita, Mário Oliveira, José Miguel Pêgo, João J Cerqueira, Joana A Palha, Osborne F X Almeida, Nuno Sousa
Affiliations

A trans-dimensional approach to the behavioral aspects of depression

João M Bessa et al. Front Behav Neurosci. .

Abstract

Depression, a complex mood disorder, displays high comorbidity with anxiety and cognitive disorders. To establish the extent of inter-dependence between these behavioral domains, we here undertook a systematic analysis to establish interactions between mood [assessed with the forced-swimming (FST) and sucrose consumption tests (SCT)], anxiety [elevated-plus maze (EPM) and novelty suppressed feeding (NSF) tests] and cognition (spatial memory and behavioral flexibility tests) in rats exposed to unpredictable chronic-mild-stress (uCMS). Expectedly, uCMS induced depressive-like behavior, a hyperanxious phenotype and cognitive impairment; with the exception of the measure of anxiety in the EPM, these effects were attenuated by antidepressants (imipramine, fluoxetine). Measures of mood by the FST and SCT were strongly correlated, whereas no significant correlations were found between the different measures of anxiety (EPM and NSF); likewise, measures of cognition by spatial memory and behavioral flexibility tests were poorly correlated. Inter-domain analysis revealed significant correlations between mood (FST and SCT) and anxiety-like behavior (NSF, but not EPM). Furthermore, significant correlations were found between cognitive performance (reverse learning task) and mood (FST and SCT) and anxiety-like behavior (NSF). These results demonstrate interactions between different behavioral domains that crosscut the disciplines of psychiatry and neurology.

Keywords: antidepressants; anxiety; cognition; depression; modelling; stress.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Behavioral effects of uCMS and antidepressant treatment on mood and anxiety domains. (A) Sucrose preference in the SCTs performed during uCMS. (B) Immobility time in the FST, (C) percentage of time spent in the open arms of the EPM and (D) latency time to feed in the NSF paradigm. *P < 0.005. Data presented as mean ± s.e.m.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Behavioral effects of antidepressants in the cognitive performance in the Morris watermaze. (A) Average distance swum in the spatial learning task and (B) the percentage of distance swum in each quadrant in the reverse learning task in the Morris watermaze. *P < 0.005. Data presented as mean ± s.em.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Inter-domain correlations between mood, anxiety and cognition. (A) Table shows Pearson correlation coefficients between different behavioral parameters and (B) graphical representation of the correlations between mood (sucrose preference), anxiety (latency to feed) and cognition (new–old quadrant distances).
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