The effect of combined treatment with risperidone and antidepressants on the MK-801-induced deficits in the social interaction test in rats.

Katarzyna Kamińska, Zofia Rogóż

Index: Pharmacol. Rep. 67 , 1183-7, (2015)

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Abstract

Several clinical reports have suggested that augmentation of atypical antipsychotics' activity by antidepressants may efficiently improve the treatment of negative and some cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia.The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of antidepressant mirtazapine or escitalopram and risperidone (an atypical antipsychotic), given separately or jointly, on the MK-801-induced deficits in the social interaction test in rats. Antidepressants and risperidone were given 60 and 30min before the test, respectively. The social interaction of male Wistar rats was measured for 10min, starting 4h after MK-801 (0.1mg/kg) administration.In the social interaction test, MK-801-induced deficits in the parameters studied, i.e. the number of episodes and the time of interactions. Risperidone at a higher dose (0.1mg/kg) reversed that effect. Co-treatment with an ineffective dose of risperidone (0.01mg/kg) and mirtazapine (2.5 or 5mg/kg) or escitalopram only at a dose of 5mg/kg (but not 2.5 and 10mg/kg) abolished the deficits evoked by MK-801.The obtained results suggest that especially mirtazapine, and to a smaller degree escitalopram may enhance the antipsychotic-like effect of risperidone in the animal test modeling some negative symptoms of schizophrenia.Copyright © 2015 Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.