Effects of bupropion and pramipexole on cell proliferation in the hippocampus of adrenocorticotropic hormone-treated rats

The dopamine reuptake inhibitor bupropion and dopamine D2/3 receptor agonist pramipexole have been clinically proven to improve both depression and treatment-resistant depression. We examined its influence on the duration of immobility during the forced swim test in adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-treated rats and further analyzed the possible role of the dopamine nerve system in this effect. Bupropion and pramipexole significantly decreased the duration of immobility in normal and ACTH-treated rats. We previously demonstrated that the chronic administration of ACTH caused a significant decrease in hippocampal cell proliferation and neurogenesis. In this study, we used the mitotic marker 5-bromo-2′ -deoxyridine to investigate the effects of bupropion and pramipexole on cell proliferation in the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus following chronic treatment with ACTH. The ACTH treatment for 14d decreased adult hippocampal cell proliferation. The chronic administration of bupropion for 14d blocked the loss of cell proliferation resulting from the chronic treatment with ACTH, whereas pramipexole did not. The administration of bupropion may have treatment-resistant antidepressive properties, which may be partly attributed to the normalization of hippocampal cell proliferation.