Effect of citicoline and transcranial direct current stimulation on depressive-like behaviors in mice & quot.

Recent investigations revealed the positive role of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) in the treatment of depressive-like behavior & quot. Citicoline is a dietary supplement. It acts as a neuroprotective factor for the treatment of neurological disorders. The aim of this research was to evaluate a possible interaction between tDCS and citicoline on the modulation of depressive-like behavior s & quot in male mice. For tDCS, an electrode was surgically implanted in the left prefrontal of the brain of male mice & quot. Acute restraint stress was induced by movement restraint for 4 h. Locomotor activity and depressive-like behaviors & quot were examined by open field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST), and tail suspension test (TST). The results indicated that the intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of citicoline, left prefrontal anodal tDCS, and co-treatment of citicoline and tDCS had no significant effect on locomotor activity. I.p. injection of citicoline (30 mg/kg) decreased immobility time in the FST and TST, showing an antidepressant-like effect & quot. Moreover, the application of left prefrontal anodal tDCS (0.2 mA) for 20 min induced antidepressant-like effect & quot by reducing immobility time in the FST and TST. Co-administration of citicoline (7 and 15 mg/kg) along with tDCS (0.1 mA) decreased immobility time in the FST and TST, indicating an antidepressant-like effect & quot. Therefore, it can be concluded that administration of citicoline in combination with tDCS enhanced the efficacy of tDCS for remedy of depressive-like behaviors & quot.