ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the effect of fluoxetine on the single prolonged stress model which mimic the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Methods Rats receiving single prolonged stress (SPS) (2 h restraint + 20 min FST + anaesthesized to lose consciousness with ethylether) or not were given fluoxetine or tap water for 15 days. Elevated plus maze(EPM),open-field test(OF) and morris water maze(MWM) tests were used to evaluate rats' fear response to environment,high alertness,anxiety & depression behavior,and learning and memory ability. Results In open field test, group of fluoxetine(F1 (8895. 85 ± 599. 78) mm, (40. 23 ±4. 32) s;F2 (8654.07 ±866.05)mm,(41.57 ±4.34)s, P<0.05) showed significant increase in activity times and horizontal motion distance compared with group of SPS (4678.85 ±495.33)mm, (22.15 ±3.43)s, P<0.05). In EPM experiment,group of fluoxetine(F1 (32. 62 ± 4. 57)% , (17. 58 ± 3. 23)% ; F2 (39. 75 ± 4. 46)% , (19. 74 ± 4.44) %) showed significant increase in percentage of the open-arm into the maze and percentage of the open arm pause compared with group of SPS ((23.67 ±2. 87)% ,(12.46 ±2.55)% , P<0.05). In MWM experiment,the escape latency of the SPS group increased significantly in comparison to that in sham group (P<0.01) and fluoxetine group. Fluoxetine significantly reversed the SPS-induced decrease in time spent in the target quadrant (P< 0.05). Conclusion Added fluoxetine can obviously improve rats' fear response to environment ,high alertness ,anxiety & depression behavior as well as learning and memory ability.