Depression is a frequent but often unrecognized and under treated complication of stroke that has scarcely been investigated in animal models particularly regarding treatment issues. Using the Forced Swim Test (FST) and testing spontaneous motor activity, we studied whether a transient focal cerebral ischemia modifies mice behaviours and antidepressant drug effects. We first evaluated whether FST realized 2 days or 1 week after brain reperfusion may be routinely used in male Swiss mice previously submitted to a 15, 30 or 60-min transient occlusion of the right middle cerebral artery. We then evaluated behavioural changes up to 5 weeks in mice previously submitted to a 15-min ischemia. Behaviours according to the administration of imipramine or fluvoxamine at 1 and 5 weeks after a 15-min ischemia were finally evaluated. Transient ischemia was associated with a decrease in immobility in the FST performed 2 days after reperfusion while no changes were observed in 1 and 5 weeks post-ischemia groups. Changes were related neither to brain ischemia duration nor to infarct volume. At both 1 and 5 weeks after brain ischemia, a dramatic decrease in the antidepressant response to imipramine related to a decrease in climbing behaviour was observed while the effects of fluvoxamine were improved through an increase in both climbing and swimming. Behaviours in the FST were unrelated to any spontaneous motor activity changes. Responses to anti-depressant drugs are strongly modified in mice previously submitted to brain ischemia. Present results underline that not all antidepressant drugs are appropriate after ischemic stroke.
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