SNACC-4 The Influence of Depression on the Social Behavior of Rats: The Effect of Antidepressant Treatment

Depression is a relatively prevalent disorder, and anti-depressants are among the 5 most commonly prescribed medication groups worldwide. Although depression affects many people as a primary disorder, depression commonly results as a secondary complication of another disease process and may significantly increase the morbidity and mortality. Mechanisms leading to depression and the effects of this disorder on social behavior have evoked increasing interest in many research institutions; however, they have not yet been thoroughly investigated. The goals of this study were to examine the effects of depression on the social organization of rats subjected to restricted access to food and to test the efficiency of the antidepressant treatment. We found that the depressed rats are more likely to pass through obstacles to obtain and bring back food to a group than the nondepressed rats. We believe that this is due to lower sense of fear under a state of depression.