Imipramine reverses depressive-like parameters in pneumococcal meningitis survivor rats

Pneumococcal meningitis is a severe infectious disease of the central nervous system, associated with acute inflammation and might cause damage to the host, such as deafness, blindness, seizure, and learning deficits. However, infectious diseases can play a significant role in the etiology of neuropsychiatric disturbances. In this context, we evaluated depressive-like parameters; corticosterone and ACTH levels in pneumococcal meningitis surviving rats. Wistar rats underwent a magna cistern tap receiving either 10 μL sterile saline or a Streptococcus pneumoniae suspension at the concentration of 5 × 10⁹ cfu/mL. After 3 days of meningitis induction procedure, the animals were treated with imipramine at 10 mg/kg or saline for 14 days (3rd-17th day). The consumption of sweet food was measured for 7 days (10th-17th day). The meningitis group decreased the sucrose intake and increased the levels of corticosterone and ACTH levels in the serum and TNF-α in the cortex; however, the treatment with imipramine reverted the reduction of sweet food consumption, normalized hormonal levels and TNF-α in the cortex. Our results supported the hypothesis that the pneumococcal meningitis surviving rats showed depressive-like behavior and alterations in the hypothalamus-pituitary- adrenal axis.