Mg. Boyeson et Rl. Harmon, EFFECTS OF TRAZODONE AND DESPIRAMINE ON MOTOR RECOVERY IN BRAIN-INJURED RATS, American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation, 72(5), 1993, pp. 286-293
Rats pretrained to walk a narrow balance beam received unilateral sens
orimotor cortex lesions, resulting in a contralateral transient paresi
s that lasted 14 days. In a dose-dependent manner, a single injection
of the antidepressant trazodone given 24 hours after injury transientl
y slowed motor recovery compared with injured controls. After final re
covery level of motor function, a reinjection of trazodone reinstated
the hemiparesis for up to 6 hours. In other animals, a single injectio
n of the antidepressant desipramine significantly facilitated motor pe
rformance when compared with injured controls. Desipramine had no dele
terious motor effect when administered to animals that had recovered o
n the beam-walking task. These findings would suggest that the predomi
nately noradrenergic neurotransmitter effects of desipramine may facil
itate, and those of the predominately serotonergic trazodone may hinde
r, the recovery of locomotor performance after cortical injury in rats
. Further studies appear indicated, including applying these findings
to the clinical setting.