Abstract
The aim of this work was to determine the effect of amitriptyline (AMI) on peripheral outcomes such as plasma epinephrine (E) and norepinephrine (NE) concentration and anxiety-like behavior displayed in the plus maze test in adult male Wistar rats under variable chronic stress and daily oral administration of AMI (5 mg/kg). Animals were previously isolated from the mother for 4.5 hr every day for the first 3 weeks of life. Administration of the antidepressant AMI reduced anxiety-like behavior in animals submitted only to chronic stress but not in early maternally separated (MS) subjects or in animals subjected to the two types of stresses.