Matthew Boyko1, Ruslan Kutz2, Julia Grinshpun2, Vladislav Zvenigorodsky2, Shaun E Gruenbaum3, Benjamin F Gruenbaum3, Evgeni Brotfain2, Yoram Shapira2, Alexander Zlotnik2. 1. Division of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Soroka Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84101, Israel. Electronic address: matthewboykoresearch@gmail.com. 2. Division of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Soroka Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84101, Israel. 3. Department of Anesthesiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Depression is a common and important cause of morbidity, and results in a significant economic burden. Recent human studies have demonstrated that that depression is contagious, and depression in family and friends might cumulatively increase the likelihood that a person will exhibit depressive behaviors. The mechanisms underlying contagion depression are poorly understood, and there are currently no animal models for this condition. METHODS: Rats were divided into 3 groups: depression group, contagion group, and control group. After induction of depression by 5 weeks of chronic unpredictable stress, rats from the contagion group were housed with the depressed rats (1 naïve rat with 2 depressed rats) for 5 weeks. Rats were then subjected to sucrose preference, open field, and forced swim tests. RESULTS: The sucrose preference was significantly reduced in the depressed rats (p<0.01) and contagion depression rats (p<0.01). Climbing time during forced swim test was reduced in the depression and contagion depression groups (p<0.001), whereas immobility time was significantly prolonged in only the depression group (p<0.001). Rats in both the depression (p<0.05) and depression contagion group (p<0.005) had decreased total travel distance and decreased mean velocity in the open field test, whereas the time spent in the central part was significantly shorter in only the depression group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, for the first time we demonstrated depression contagion in an animal model. A reliable animal model may help better understand the underlying mechanisms of contagion depression, and may allow for future investigations of the studying therapeutic modalities.
BACKGROUND:Depression is a common and important cause of morbidity, and results in a significant economic burden. Recent human studies have demonstrated that that depression is contagious, and depression in family and friends might cumulatively increase the likelihood that a person will exhibit depressive behaviors. The mechanisms underlying contagion depression are poorly understood, and there are currently no animal models for this condition. METHODS:Rats were divided into 3 groups: depression group, contagion group, and control group. After induction of depression by 5 weeks of chronic unpredictable stress, rats from the contagion group were housed with the depressed rats (1 naïve rat with 2 depressed rats) for 5 weeks. Rats were then subjected to sucrose preference, open field, and forced swim tests. RESULTS: The sucrose preference was significantly reduced in the depressed rats (p<0.01) and contagion depressionrats (p<0.01). Climbing time during forced swim test was reduced in the depression and contagion depression groups (p<0.001), whereas immobility time was significantly prolonged in only the depression group (p<0.001). Rats in both the depression (p<0.05) and depression contagion group (p<0.005) had decreased total travel distance and decreased mean velocity in the open field test, whereas the time spent in the central part was significantly shorter in only the depression group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, for the first time we demonstrated depression contagion in an animal model. A reliable animal model may help better understand the underlying mechanisms of contagion depression, and may allow for future investigations of the studying therapeutic modalities.
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