Ameliorative Activity of Co-Administration of Ketamine and Ect on Depression Like Behaviors in Depressed Rats

Background and objective: electroconvulsive therapy (ect) is the end choice treatment for patients with major depressive disorder (mdd). regarding researches that show nmda receptor inactivation could yield the same results as anti-depressant drugs, however, the present study examined co-administration of ect and ketamine (as nmda antagonist) on depressed rat behaviors. materials and methods: fifty healthy adult male wistar rats were divided into control (normal, no treatment) and cums induced depressed rats. the depressed animals were subdivided into 1- ect, 2-ketamine, and 3- ect + ketamine and 4- no treatment. we used sucrose preference, forced swimming, open field and elevated plus maze tests for evaluation of depression-related behavioral function. results: data analysis in cums depressed rats that treated with ketamine + ect showed higher sucrose consumption in sucrose preference test, more immobility in forced swimming, and the vast activity in open field and plus maze tests. conclusion: the behavioral analysis tests show that combination therapy with ketamine and electroconvulsive could markedly reduce depression and anxiolytic behaviors than ketamine or ect treatment alone.