Anxiolytic-like action of the antidepressant agomelatine (S 20098) after a social defeat requires the integrity of the SCN

Thus, sub-chronic agomelatine treatment or a single agomelatine injection reduced a state of anxiety and passivity caused by asocial defeat. The defeat-induced behavioural changes do not depend on the SCN but agomelatine showed its anxiolytic action only in sham-lesioned animals, which indicates that the anxiolytic-like action of agomelatine requires the integrity of the SCN. Mechanisms sustaining this activity are discussed.