Document Type
Paper- Restricted to Campus Access
Publication Date
4-23-2025
Faculty Mentor
Stephen Kolwicz
Abstract
Approximately 13% of adults in the US are prescribed antidepressant medications. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) are one of the most commonly prescribed antidepressant medications, with fluoxetine (i.e., Prozac) being one of the most well-known. Previous literature has established some interesting yet inconclusive findings with SSRI use on exercise performance and skeletal muscle including enhanced fatigue, decreased muscle weight, and enhanced substrate and mitochondrial metabolism. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of oral administration of fluoxetine on physical activity in mice. In the study, male and female mice were housed in cages with running wheels. After two weeks of voluntary wheel running, we administered 10-12 mg/kg/day of fluoxetine dissolved in drinking water for an additional 6 weeks. Mice were evaluated on a weekly basis that included measurement of water intake, body mass, and wheel activity. Tissues were harvested and weighed. Our preliminary results suggest that fluoxetine impacts the physical activity of mice, specifically in females.
Recommended Citation
Washart, Renee; Cunningham, Charles J. V; Bohn, Kharis; Chin, Alexandria; Wright, Ian; and Tobin, Aiden, "Effects of Prozac on Voluntary Wheel Running in Mice" (2025). Health and Exercise Physiology Presentations. 26.
https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/health_pres/26
Restricted
Available to Ursinus community only.
Comments
Presented as part of the Ursinus College Celebration of Student Achievement (CoSA) held April 23, 2025.
The downloadable file is a poster.