Antidepressant effect of carbamazepine--the role of dopaminergic and noradrenergic agents.

Abstract

Fourteen days of treatment with 20 mg/kg/day carbamazepine (CBZ) reduced the immobility time in the behavioral "despair" test in rats. Two blockers of dopaminergic receptors: haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg) and sulpiride (100 mg/kg) antagonized the reduction of immobility caused by CBZ. The anti-immobility effect of CBZ was also counteracted by clonidine (0.1 mg/kg) an agonist of presynaptic alpha 2 adrenoreceptors and propranolol (5 mg/kg) beta-adrenolytic drug.