Jg. Veening et al., PATTERNS OF C-FOS EXPRESSION INDUCED BY FLUVOXAMINE ARE DIFFERENT AFTER ACUTE VS. CHRONIC ORAL-ADMINISTRATION, European neuropsychopharmacology, 8(3), 1998, pp. 213-226
Fluvoxamine is a selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
with a broad spectrum of behavioral and therapeutic effects, e.g. in d
epressive illness. We used the expression of c-fos, after both acute a
nd chronic oral administration of fluvoxamine in the rat, to study its
immediate and long-term effects, in relation to the distribution of G
alanin (GAL) and Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide (VIP). After acute
oral administration, most consistent increases were apparent in (parts
of); the nucleus of the solitary tract, medial part; the lateral para
brachial nucleus, external part; the bed nucleus of the stria terminal
is, dorsolateral part; and the central nucleus of the amygdala, latera
l part. After chronic administration, distribution of Fos-IR was simil
ar to acute administration, although numbers of Fos-IR neurons were no
longer significantly different from control values. It is concluded t
hat activation of 5-HT3-receptors in the caudal brainstem or gastro-in
testinal afferents of the vagal nerve may Flay a role in the observed
pattern of Fos-IR after fluvoxamine administration. The relationship w
ith the antidepressant effects of fluvoxamine needs further investigat
ions. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V./ECNP.