The effect of depressive-like behavior and antidepressant therapy on social behavior and hierarchy in rats.

•Rats induced with depressive-like symptoms were significantly more active and aggressive in all parameters of the social organization test.•Antidepressant treatment was effective in influencing the social behaviors in rats with depressive-like symptoms.•Depressive-like behavior induced in this experiment was not accompanied by anxiety-like behavior. Depression-induced rats receiving antidepressant treatment exhibited similar performance on social behavioral tests to naïve rats.