Changes in monoamine levels in mouse brain elicited by forced-swimming stress, and the protective effect of a new monoamine oxidase inhibitor, RS-8359.

As a stress model, a forced swimming test was applied to mice; and a typical behavioral change, an immobile posture, was recognized. This affected the brain monoamine levels significantly. The norepinephrine concentration was reduced, while that of its product was increased; and in the case of dopamine, both the amount of the amine and its product were increased. Stress increased the levels of serotonin and its product in the brain. The effects of RS-8359, (+/-)-4-(4-cyanophenyl)amino-6,7-dihydro-7-hydroxy-5H-cyclopenta[d ]- pyrimidine, a new inhibitor of type A monoamine oxidase, on the behavioral and biochemical changes caused by forced swimming were also investigated. RS-8359 significantly improved the immobile posture elicited by the forced swimming test. It reduced the increased turnover of norepinephrine and serotonin systems caused by swimming. These results suggest that the effect of RS-8359 on behavioral and biochemical changes by stress may be mainly due to its effects on norepinephrine and serotonin systems, presumably by the inhibition of type A monoamine oxidase.