Administration of memantine and imipramine alters mitochondrial respiratory chain and creatine kinase activities in rat brain.

Several studies have appointed for a role of glutamatergic system and/or mitochondrial function in major depression. In the present study, we evaluated the creatine kinase and mitochondrial respiratory chain activities after acute and chronic treatments with memantine (N-methyl-D: -aspartate receptor antagonist) and imipramine (tricyclic antidepressant) in rats. To this aim, rats were acutely or chronically treated for 14 days once a day with saline, memantine (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg) and imipramine (10, 20 and 30 mg/kg). After acute or chronic treatments, we evaluated mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes (I, II, II-III and IV) and creatine kinase activities in prefrontal cortex, hippocampus and striatum. Our results showed that both acute and chronic treatments with memantine or imipramine altered respiratory chain complexes and creatine kinase activities in rat brain; however, these alterations were different with relation to protocols (acute or chronic), complex, dose and brain area. Finally, these findings further support the hypothesis that the effects of imipramine and memantine could be involve mitochondrial function modulation.