Omega-3 fatty acid potentiation of fluoxetine and mirtazapine antidepressant effec

LAINO CH, FONSECA C, STERIN-SPEZIALE N, REIN¨¦S, AG

Tandil, Buenos Aires

Congreso; XXXX Reunion Anual de la Asociacion Argentina de Farmacologia Experimental (SAFE); 2008

Asociacion Argentina de Farmacologia Experimental (SAFE)

Epidemiological studies indicate an association between depression and low dietary intake of omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acids. However, robust preclinical characterization of the ω-3 antidepressant effect is still lacking. The aim of this study was to examine in rats the antidepressant effects of ω-3 supplementation alone as well as in combined chronic treatments with antidepressants fluoxetine (FLX) or mirtazapine (MTZ) in the forced swimming test. We found that compared to control diet, ω-3 supplementation dose-dependently increased behaviors of swimming, indicative of the ω-3 antidepressant-like effect. Co-administration of FLX (1 or 10 mg/kg/day) or MTZ (20 mg/kg/day) and ω-3 fatty acids (0.72 g/kg/day) revealed higher antidepressant efficacy than the individual treatments. Biochemical studies showed that compared to control diet, ω-3 supplementation increased docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels in brain membranes without modifying the composition of phospholipid classes. It can be suggested that ω-3 may potentiate antidepressant drug actions possibly by increasing the DHA proportion in brain membrane phospholipids.