---
title: Can antidepressants reduce anxious-like behavior during low-hormone phases in female rats?
description: Yes. Fluoxetine, desipramine, nomifensine, diazepam, and progesterone all reduced anxious-like burying behavior during the low-hormone phase. Chlorpromazine h
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/attenuation-of-estrous-cycle-dependent-marble-burying-in-female-rats-by-acute-2007/
---

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- Can antidepressants reduce anxious-like behavior during low-hormone phases in female rats?

Lab study, 2007

# Can antidepressants reduce anxious-like behavior during low-hormone phases in female rats?

Yes. Fluoxetine, desipramine, nomifensine, diazepam, and progesterone all reduced anxious-like burying behavior during the low-hormone phase. Chlorpromazine had no effect.

 Early or limited evidence

Female rats at different phases of their estrous cycle

## What they did

Researchers watched female rats during different phases of their natural cycle and noticed that some buried marbles more when hormone levels were low, less when hormone levels were high. They then tested whether antidepressants or progesterone could stop this behavior.

## What they found

Marble burying was enhanced during the low-hormone phase and decreased during the high-hormone phase. Fluoxetine, desipramine, nomifensine, diazepam, and progesterone all reversed the enhanced burying. Chlorpromazine did not work.

## What it means for you

This suggests that anxiety-like behavior linked to low hormones in rats might be similar to how irritability appears in women with PMDD. Because antidepressants used for PMDD also worked in rats, this model might help explain how these medicines work. The main limit is that this is an animal study, and only some rats showed the cycle-related behavior.

## About the study

Original title Attenuation of estrous cycle-dependent marble burying in female rats by acute treatment with progesterone and antidepressants Authors Schneider T, Popik P Journal Psychoneuroendocrinology Year 2007 Study design Lab study What was tested Fluoxetine, desipramine, nomifensine, diazepam, progesterone, and chlorpromazine Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.04.003](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.04.003)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Menstrual cycle and mood](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-cycle-mood/)[Irritability and anger](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-irritability-anger/)[SSRIs and antidepressants](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-ssri/)[GnRH agonists and ovarian suppression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-gnrh/)[Anxiolytics and other psychotropics](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-anxiolytics/)[Surgical menopause](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-surgery/)

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