Antidepressant-like effect of PRE-084, a selective sigma1 receptor agonist, in Albino Swiss and C57BL/6J mice.

PRE-084, a selective sigma receptor agonist, exhibited an antidepressant-like effect in the forced swim test (FST) in Albino Swiss and C57BL/6J mice. This effect was counteracted by BD 1047 (5 and 10 mg/kg) but not by SM-21 (3 and 10 mg/kg), which are sigma(1)- and sigma(2)-receptor antagonists, respectively. The results indicated that PRE-084 has an antidepressant-like effect in C57BL/6J and, to a lesser extent, in Albino Swiss mice. These results support the idea that sigma(1)-receptors, but not sigma(2)-receptors, contribute to the mechanism of antidepressant activity of sigma agonists in FST.