Psilocybin lacks antidepressant-like effect in the Flinders Sensitive Line rat
Acta Neuropsychiatrica May 20, 2019 Oskar Hougaard Jefsen, Kristoffer Højgaard, Sofie Laage Christiansen et al. 66 citations
Psilocybin, a serotonin receptor agonist being studied for treatment-resistant depression, showed no antidepressant-like effect in a rat model of depression. In Flinders Sensitive Line rats, which model depression, neither psilocybin nor its active form psilocin reduced immobility time in the forced swim test, a standard measure of antidepressant activity. The drugs also did not alter locomotor activity in an open field test, ruling out stimulant effects. The rats bred to be depression-prone did show more immobility than their control counterparts, confirming the model's validity. The findings suggest that different animal models and behavioral tests may better translate the positive effects of psilocybin observed in humans.