OBJECTIVE To investigate whether SKF83959 could have anantide pressanteff ects in the chronic social defeat stress modeland the underlying mechanism.METHODS Chronic social defeat stress was used to induce depressive-like behaviour.RESULTS 14 d treatment of SKF83959(0.5 or 1 mg·kg-1,ip)in the depression model could produce significant antidepressant effects by increasing the interaction time and reducing preference for sucrose solution and SKF83959 also rescued the stress-induced decrease in hippocampaldendritic spine density,neurogenesis and enhanced BDNF signaling pathway.