Effects of sertraline on episodic memory in experimental model of chronic mild stress model of depression

Abstract

Aim: Individuals with depression have cognitive deficits, including diminished thinking and concentration ability, as well as memory difficulties. Certain antidepressants used for depression are recognized to influence cognitive functions, including learning and memory positively. We aimed to examine the impact of sertraline on hippocampus cell proliferation and cognitive functions, including learning and memory, within a chronic mild stress (CMS) model.

Materials and Methods: 48 rats were divided into four groups: C, CMS, CMS+S, and S. CMS groups were subjected to various stressors for 15 days. S was delivered at a dosage of 10 mg/kg/day for a duration of 15 days using an osmotic minipump. On day 15, a forced swim test (FST), open field test (OFT) were conducted. The OFT, elevated plus maze (EPM), FST and novel object recognition test (NORT) were conducted to assess the efficacy of S. Animals were beheaded, and hippocampal tissues were excised. qRT-PCR was used to assess the expression levels of genes (BDNF, NeuN, MASH1). One-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis.

Results: In the CMS group, there was a significant decrease in the percentage and speed of OFT movement compared to the control (p<0.001).There was a significant decrease in swimming, climbing and immobilization times in the depression group compared to the other groups. In the long-term memory analysis, a significant increase was observed in the recognition and discrimination index in the CMS+S group compared to the CMS group (p<0.01). BDNF, NeuN and MASH1 gene expression levels in hippocampal tissues showed a significant decrease in the depression group and a significant increase in the CMS+S group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The study shows that sertraline in the treatment of depression is beneficial in improving cognitive abilities which is confirmed by the increasing gene expression. It is thought that serotonin improves long-term memory and may positively affect brain precursor cell formation.