418054

Effect of Sustained Dexamethasone Treatment on Anxiety and Depression-related Behaviors in Pregnant Rats

Article

Last updated: 29 Mar 2025

Subjects

-

Tags

Zoology

Abstract

Dexamethasone, an immunosuppressive drug with 30 times the potency of cortisone, has significant therapeutic potential but may cause adverse effects such as pathological lesions, abortion, and behavioral changes when used at high doses. This study aimed to investigate the optimal dexamethasone dose to positively affect anxiety and depressive behaviors in pregnant rats. A total of 72 female Wistar rats (4 months old, 250±20 g) were divided into four groups: control pregnant, control nonpregnant, pregnant with two dexamethasone doses (625 and 1250 µg/kg body weight), and nonpregnant with the same doses (n=6 per subgroup). Anxiety- and depression-related behaviors were assessed via open-field and forced-swim tests, and blood parameters were assessed. Compared with that of control rats, the immobility period of 125×10 µg-treated rats was shorter, indicating improved behavioral outcomes. However, the 625 µg dose caused mild neural necrosis, thrombotic vasculitis, and spleen infiltration with red blood cells. Mild lymphopenia was observed at this dose compared with that of the controls. Overall, a 625 µg dose administered for 14 days to pregnant and nonpregnant rats was identified as an effective therapy for mitigating anxiety and depression-like behaviors while minimizing adverse effects.

DOI

10.21608/sjsci.2025.338539.1236

Keywords

dexamethasone, Immunosuppressive Therapy, Anxiety and Depression-like behaviors, lymphopenia

Authors

First Name

Sohaila

Last Name

Fahmy

MiddleName

G.

Affiliation

Department of Animal Husbandry and Behavior, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag 82524, Egypt.

Email

-

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Zeinab

Last Name

Al-Amgad

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

General Authority for Veterinary Services, Qena Veterinary Directorate, Qena, Egypt.

Email

-

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Rawia

Last Name

Abdallah

MiddleName

M.

Affiliation

Clinical Laboratory Diagnosis, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, South Valley University, Qena 83523, Egypt.

Email

-

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Ibrahim

Last Name

Rehan

MiddleName

F.

Affiliation

Department of Husbandry and Development of Animal Wealth, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Menoufia University, Shebin Alkom, Menoufia 32511, Egypt.

Email

-

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Fatma

Last Name

Mahmoud

MiddleName

A.

Affiliation

Department of Animal, Poultry & Wildlife Behavior and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt.

Email

-

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Motamed

Last Name

Mahmoud

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

1Department of Animal Husbandry and Behavior, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Sohag University, Sohag, Egypt, 82526.

Email

motamed71111@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

-

Volume

10

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

52890

Issue Date

2025-03-01

Receive Date

2024-11-22

Publish Date

2025-03-01

Page Start

137

Page End

143

Print ISSN

2357-0938

Online ISSN

2974-4296

Link

https://sjsci.journals.ekb.eg/article_418054.html

Detail API

http://journals.ekb.eg?_action=service&article_code=418054

Order

418,054

Type

Regular Articles

Type Code

2,359

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Sohag Journal of Sciences

Publication Link

https://sjsci.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Effect of Sustained Dexamethasone Treatment on Anxiety and Depression-related Behaviors in Pregnant Rats

Details

Type

Article

Created At

29 Mar 2025