The effect of blockade of the central V1 vasopressin receptors on anhedonia in chronically stressed infarcted and non-infarcted rats

• Myocardial infarction causes transient anhedonia in rats.
• Chronic stress induces similar anhedonia in both infarcted and non-infarcted rats.
• V1 receptors mediate stress-induced anhedonia.

Chronic mild stress (CMS) and myocardial infarction (MI) induce anhedonia, which is one of the symptoms of depression. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of the central V1 vasopressin receptors (V1R) in post-CMS and post-MI anhedonia. To this end, we investigated the effect of blockage the central V1R [28 days of intracerebroventricular (ICV) infusion of V1 receptors antagonist (V1RANT)] on CMS-induced and the post-infarct anhedonia. The experiments were conducted on conscious MI or sham-operated (SO) rats that were either exposed to CMS for 20 days or remained at rest. The sucrose/water intake ratio (S/W) was measured to determine hedonic behavior. Seven days after MI, the S/W was reduced. This effect was no longer present 37 days after the infarction and was also absent in the SO rats. Exposure to CMS reduced the S/W in SO rats also. In the CMS-exposed MI rats, the S/W was similar to that in the CMS-exposed SO rats. ICV administration of V1RANT abolished reductions in the S/W in the CMS-exposed MI rats, however, it did not influence S/W in the SO rats exposed to CMS and in the MI and SO rats not exposed to CMS. We conclude that: (1) myocardial infarction and chronic stressing cause anhedonia, (2) myocardial infarction-induced anhedonia appears to be transient, (3) myocardial infarction does not potentiate CMS-induced anhedonia, and (4) CMS-induced anhedonia critically depends on the stimulation of the central V1 receptors.