Effects of pregabalin on post traumatic stress disorder in rats

Objective: It was aimed to investigate the effects of systemically administered pregabalin on freezing time, anxiety index, stool amount, weight difference, salivary gland immunoglobulin A, progesterone, estrogen and serum neurotrophin levels in rats with post-traumatic stress disorder due to predatory odor. Materials and Methods: In the study, forty female Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. Rats in the trauma and treatment groups were exposed to predatory odor stress and left to rest for a week. After the rest period, 30 mg/kg pregabalin was administered to the pregabalin and treatment groups, and saline was administered to the control and trauma groups via oral gavage. Following the administrations, the rats were exposed to a trauma reminder and their behaviors were monitored in an elevated plus maze. Subsequently, salivary gland and blood samples were taken and the animals were sacrificed. Results: The increased freezing time in the trauma group compared to the control group was reversed with the systemic administration of pregabalin by oral gavage. Pregabalin treatment reversed the decreasing salivary gland immunoglobulin A level in the trauma group and the group administered pregabalin without trauma, but did not change the anxiety index, stool amount, weight difference, progesterone, estrogen and serum neurotrophin levels. Conclusion: More studies are needed to understand the effects of pregabalin on post-traumatic stress disorder.