The antidepressant agents desipramine, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and norzimelidine inhibit uptake of [3H]noradrenaline and [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine in slices of human and rat cortical brain tissue.

The stability of uptake of [3H]noradrenaline and [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine in rat neocortical brain slices, prepared up to 4-5 h after decapitation, was established. Subsequently, monoamine uptake inhibition by 4 antidepressant agents: desipramine, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and norzimelidine was compared in human post-mortem neocortical brain slices vs rat neocortical brain slices. In both species, desipramine exhibited considerable selectivity for noradrenaline uptake, while fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and norzimelidine showed varying degrees of selectivity for 5-hydroxytryptamine uptake. These results support the use of rat brain as a model for the study of neurochemical correlates of depression and antidepressant drug action.