Effects of fluvoxamine on levels of dopamine, serotonin, and their metabolites in the hippocampus elicited by isolation housing and novelty stress in adult rats.

The authors investigated the effects of fluvoxamine on neurochemical changes in the hippocampus elicited by isolation housing and novelty stress. Male F344 rats (11 w) were housed one per cage for four weeks. On each day of the last week (7 days) they were s.c. injected with fluvoxamine (20 mg/kg), and then subjected to novelty stress. Isolation housing significantly increased dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels, whereas fluvoxamine significantly decreased them. Isolation housing significantly increased the DOPAC/DA ratio. Fluvoxamine significantly decreased the DA level, and partially restored the DOPAC and 5-HIAA levels increased by isolation housing.