Chronic Quetiapine Administration Has a Therapeutic Effect on Anxiety and Depression‐Like Behavior in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) Rat Model

ABSTRACT Background The mechanisms underlying quetiapine's effects on anxiety‐ and depression‐like behaviors induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of quetiapine in a rat model of CUMS. Materials and Methods In...

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Main Authors: Esra Komanovalı, Burcu Çevreli, Öznur Özge Özcan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-08-01
Series:Brain and Behavior
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70755
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author Esra Komanovalı
Burcu Çevreli
Öznur Özge Özcan
author_facet Esra Komanovalı
Burcu Çevreli
Öznur Özge Özcan
author_sort Esra Komanovalı
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Background The mechanisms underlying quetiapine's effects on anxiety‐ and depression‐like behaviors induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of quetiapine in a rat model of CUMS. Materials and Methods In the first experiment, 40 adult female Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to either a control group (non‐stressed, n = 20) or a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) group (n = 20) for 28 consecutive days. To evaluate stress‐related behavioral changes, the sucrose preference test (SPT), fecal boli count, and elevated plus maze (EPM) test were conducted on days 29 and 30. In the second experiment, on day 30, animals from both initial groups were further divided into four experimental groups (n = 10 per group): (1) Control (1 mL saline, i.p., for 30 days), (2) Quetiapine (QET; 10 mg/kg/day, i.p., for 30 days), (3) CUMS only (no treatment), and (4) CUMS + QET (10 mg/kg/day, i.p., for 30 days). Following treatment, behavioral assessments (SPT, forced swim test (FST), elevated plus maze test (EPM), and fecal boli count) were conducted on days 61, 62, and 63. Results CUMS induced significant anxiety‐ and depression‐like behaviors. Chronic quetiapine administration (10 mg/kg/day) reversed these behavioral deficits, suggesting antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. Conclusion Quetiapine alleviates CUMS‐induced anxiety and depression‐like behaviors, supporting its potential as both monotherapy and adjunctive treatment in stress‐related disorders. Further research should explore sex differences, dose‐response effects, biochemical or molecular markers, and other stress paradigms to optimize clinical relevance.
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spelling doaj-art-9fa1bcceb3ab4c0cb5427d38e785c9102025-08-22T05:38:31ZengWileyBrain and Behavior2162-32792025-08-01158n/an/a10.1002/brb3.70755Chronic Quetiapine Administration Has a Therapeutic Effect on Anxiety and Depression‐Like Behavior in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) Rat ModelEsra Komanovalı0Burcu Çevreli1Öznur Özge Özcan2Molecular Biology, Institute of Science Üsküdar University İstanbul TurkeyDepartment of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine Üsküdar University İstanbul TurkeyMolecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Üsküdar University Istanbul TurkeyABSTRACT Background The mechanisms underlying quetiapine's effects on anxiety‐ and depression‐like behaviors induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of quetiapine in a rat model of CUMS. Materials and Methods In the first experiment, 40 adult female Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned to either a control group (non‐stressed, n = 20) or a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) group (n = 20) for 28 consecutive days. To evaluate stress‐related behavioral changes, the sucrose preference test (SPT), fecal boli count, and elevated plus maze (EPM) test were conducted on days 29 and 30. In the second experiment, on day 30, animals from both initial groups were further divided into four experimental groups (n = 10 per group): (1) Control (1 mL saline, i.p., for 30 days), (2) Quetiapine (QET; 10 mg/kg/day, i.p., for 30 days), (3) CUMS only (no treatment), and (4) CUMS + QET (10 mg/kg/day, i.p., for 30 days). Following treatment, behavioral assessments (SPT, forced swim test (FST), elevated plus maze test (EPM), and fecal boli count) were conducted on days 61, 62, and 63. Results CUMS induced significant anxiety‐ and depression‐like behaviors. Chronic quetiapine administration (10 mg/kg/day) reversed these behavioral deficits, suggesting antidepressant and anxiolytic effects. Conclusion Quetiapine alleviates CUMS‐induced anxiety and depression‐like behaviors, supporting its potential as both monotherapy and adjunctive treatment in stress‐related disorders. Further research should explore sex differences, dose‐response effects, biochemical or molecular markers, and other stress paradigms to optimize clinical relevance.https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70755
spellingShingle Esra Komanovalı
Burcu Çevreli
Öznur Özge Özcan
Chronic Quetiapine Administration Has a Therapeutic Effect on Anxiety and Depression‐Like Behavior in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) Rat Model
Brain and Behavior
title Chronic Quetiapine Administration Has a Therapeutic Effect on Anxiety and Depression‐Like Behavior in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) Rat Model
title_full Chronic Quetiapine Administration Has a Therapeutic Effect on Anxiety and Depression‐Like Behavior in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) Rat Model
title_fullStr Chronic Quetiapine Administration Has a Therapeutic Effect on Anxiety and Depression‐Like Behavior in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) Rat Model
title_full_unstemmed Chronic Quetiapine Administration Has a Therapeutic Effect on Anxiety and Depression‐Like Behavior in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) Rat Model
title_short Chronic Quetiapine Administration Has a Therapeutic Effect on Anxiety and Depression‐Like Behavior in a Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress (CUMS) Rat Model
title_sort chronic quetiapine administration has a therapeutic effect on anxiety and depression like behavior in a chronic unpredictable mild stress cums rat model
url https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.70755
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AT oznurozgeozcan chronicquetiapineadministrationhasatherapeuticeffectonanxietyanddepressionlikebehaviorinachronicunpredictablemildstresscumsratmodel