Effects of acute topiramate administration on post-traumatic stress disorder in rats

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acute systemic topiramate administration on anxiety index and freezing time, plasma estrogen and progesterone levels, and salivary gland immunoglobulin A in a post-traumatic stress disorder rat model. Materials and Methods: A total of eighteen female Wistar rats used in the study were exposed to predatory odor stress. One week later, saline was administered to the control group and 15 mu M and 30 mu M topiramate to the treatment groups, after which the animals were exposed to the trauma reminder and their behavior was monitored in the elevated plus maze. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were taken, animals were sacrificed, salivary glands were removed immediately after. Results: Topiramate suppressed anxiety index and freezing time in rats with post-traumatic stress disorder at both 15 mu M and 30 mu M doses compared to the control group. A positive correlation was observed between plasma estrogen level and anxiety index in the control group, and topiramate suppressed this correlation in a dose-dependent manner. Topiramate did not change the plasma progesterone level, but suppressed the salivary gland immunoglobulin A level at the low dose. Conclusion: These findings obtained in our study indicate that topiramate may be effective in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder.