Vortioxetine Reduces Marble Burying but Only Transiently Enhances Social Interaction Preference in Adult Male BTBR TItpr3/J Mice.

Vortioxetine is a multimodal antidepressant with agonist activity at serotonin (5-HT) and 5-HT receptors that blocks the 5-HT transporter (SERT). Previously in male BTBR TItpr3/J (BTBR) mice, the 5-HT partial agonist buspirone and SERT blocker fluoxetine enhanced social interaction but did not reduce marble burying. We hypothesized that vortioxetine through its actions at SERT and 5-HT could improve BTBR sociability and via 5-HT could reduce burying better than sertraline, a selective SERT blocker.