Pharmacological depletion of serotonin and norepinephrine with para-chlorophenylalanine and alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine reverses the antidepressant-like effects of adolescent caffeine exposure in the male rat.

Adolescent exposure to caffeine has been shown to decrease immobility in the forced swim test, suggesting and antidepressant-like effect of caffeine; however, studies have produced different results with regard to caffeine-induced active behaviors. The present study attempted to clarify the possible neurochemical mechanisms of caffeine's action by selectively depleting norepinephrine with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine or serotonin with para-chlorophenylalanine in two separate experiments and assessing the ability for caffeine to alter anxiety-like and depressive-like behavior. Caffeine-treated adolescent male rats were exposed to caffeine (0.