Role of the Serotonergic System in the Anxiety- like Behavior of Male Rats Under Immobilization Stress

Anxiety disorders are among major problems for humanity, often due to imbalance in the activity of brain monoaminergic systems. clinical evidence indicates the possible disorder of Serotonergic neurons in the pathophysiology of anxiety, therefore, in the present study, Fluoxetine and Cyproheptadine drugs were used as modifiers of serotonin levels in the brain, to evaluate the role of Serotonergic system in the development or alleviation of anxiety- like disorders.
This study aims to investigate the role of serotonergic system in anxiety- like behavior changes and thyroid hormones metabolic changes in male rats under immobilization stress.
30 male adult wistar rats, weighing 180±20 g, were randomly divided into five groups of 6. immobilization stress was induced in the rats by limiting polyethylene, and anxiolytic evaluation of the effects of drugs in the treated groups was performed using the elevated plus-maze test. In this study, fluoxetine with concentration of 20 mg/kg and cyproheptadine with concentration of 4 mg/kg were intraperitoneally administered to the animals. at the end of the treatment period, effects of drugs on anxiety like behavior of immobilization stress-induced and thyroid hormones serum levels were measured using an ELISA kit. The data were analyzed at a significance level of p The results of the plus-maze test showed that the percentage of time spent in the open arms in the stress group was significantly decreased, compared with the control group (p The results indicate the improving effects of serotonergic system in the control of anxiety- like behavior and thyroid hormones secretion