ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the curative effect of deep-brain magnetic stimulation (DMS) on learned helplessness behavior in the chronic restrained stress (CRS) rat model. Methods Twenty-nine Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group (n=8) and CRS group (n=21). CRS group was exerted chronic restrained stress, while the control group did not receive any stress, for three weeks. Then learned helplessness behavior was tested using Forced Swimming Test (FST) and the hopeless rats of the CRS group were divided ran-domly into sham group (n=6), DMS group (n=8) and citalopram group (n=7), that received corresponding treatment respectively. They were evaluated with FST again after one-week treatment. Results The immobile time in FST was longer in CRS group than in the control group after three-week stress (F=11.260, P=0.002). After one-week treatment, no significant improvement was found in the citalopram group (F=1.565, P=0.235), however, the immobile time in DMS group decreased (F=6.277, P=0.025), and was shorter than that in the sham group (F=5.560, P=0.036). Conclusion CRS could result in learned helplessness behavior, which could be alleviated with one-week DMS.
