ACTION OF TIANEPTINE ON FOCALIZATION OF ATTENTION IN CAT

Tianeptine, an antidepressant substance devoid of sedative action, was investigated for its effects on focalization of attention in cats, using combined behavioural and electrocorticographic (ECoG) observations. The ECoG index was the presence of 40 Hz frontoparietal rhythmic cortical activities, developing while the animal displayed a behaviour suggesting focused attention. Cats were observed in two conditions: a "neutral" one, with no specific target, and another one, "of focused attention" where a live mouse placed in a transparent box was present in the recording room, each test lasting for 90 min. After treatment the animals displayed increased attention even in the neutral situation, where the cat, instead of sleeping like during control sessions, payed sustained attention to its environment. Conversely, at corresponding doses, amitriptyline, another antidepressant drug chosen as a reference, induced uninterrupted slow sleep even in the situation of focused attention. © 1990 Springer-Verlag.