Conditioned anti-immobility by ketamine: A comparison to escitalopram and bupropion.
Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology April 1, 2023 Brett Melanson, Michael Wolter, Zion Leatham et al.
Exposure to a context previously paired with the effects of ketamine reduced immobility in the forced-swimming test in male rats, indicating a conditioned antidepressant-like response. This effect was not observed with bupropion, but was comparable to escitalopram. The response was not due to changes in general activity or conditioned incentive or aversive states, as no group differences appeared in a place-conditioning test. The findings suggest that drug-environment interactions may contribute to ketamine's sustained antidepressant effects in clinical settings.