Abstract
Experimental psychopharmacology of depression. The neurobiology of depression has been widely studied by means of behavioral, biochemical or pharmacological procedures. However, the backgrounds of the experimental methods used can be questioned. We discuss here the relevance of animal models of depression based on stress, social deprivation or lesions of selected brain areas; besides, indirect data provided by pharmacological studies on antidepressants are also examined. It could be concluded that, despite theoretical considerations, the experimental approach significantly contributes to the knowledge of basic aspects of the disease, i.e. the neuronal or biochemical substrates involved; therefore, the experimental techniques described are useful to progress in the therapeutic management of depression.
