A common mechanism of action of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors citalopram and fluoxetine: Reversal of chronic psychosocial stress-induced increase in CRE/CREB-directed gene transcription in transgenic reporter gene mice

The transcription factor CREB regulates adaptive responses like memory consolidation, addiction, and synaptic refinement. Recently, chronic psychosocial stress as animal model of depression has been shown to stimulate CREB transcriptional activity in the brain; this stimulation was prevented by treatment with the antidepressant imipramine, which inhibits both noradrenaline and serotonin reuptake. However, it was unknown whether the selective inhibition of serotonin reuptake is sufficient for inhibition of stress-induced CREB activation, as it is for the clinical antidepressant effect. Therefore, the effect of two selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), citalopram and fluoxetine, wa…