Figure 2.

Effects of acute escitalopram administration on [NA]_ext in the FCx and on the climbing time in WT mice in the FST. Mice received either the vehicle or escitalopram (4 and 8 mg·kg⁻¹, i.p.). (A) Time course. Data are mean ± SEM values of [NA]_ext in the FCx expressed as percentages of baseline (B₀) following exposure to vehicle or escitalopram (ESC; n= 7–8 mice per group). Baseline [NA]_ext in vehicle, escitalopam 4 and 8 mg·kg⁻¹, i.p., were 6.23 ± 0.29, 8.01 ± 0.91 and 6.01 ± 0.76 fmol·(20 µL)⁻¹ respectively. The grey area indicates the duration time of the FST (i.e. 6 min). Microdialysis and behavioural experiments were carried out with the same protocol, and the climbing parameter in the FST was measured, in a separate group of mice, at the maximum effect of escitalopram 8 mg·kg⁻¹. (B) AUC values (means ± SEM) were calculated for the amount of noradrenaline outflow collected during 0–120 min post treatment for escitalopram. (C) Antidepressant-like effect of escitalopram on climbing time in the FST in WT mice (n= 9–10 mice per group). **P < 0.01; ***P < 0.001: significantly different from vehicle-injected mice (one-way anova, Fisher's PLSD post hoc test).