The forced swimming test is a behavioural model developed to predict the efficacy of antidepressant drugs. Few studies have been aimed at evaluating the mechanism of action of antidepressants in the forced swimming test. The present study was designed in order to further evaluate the mode of action of antidepressants in the forced swimming test, by using selective agonists and antagonists at 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor sites. Agonists/antagonists and antidepressants were administered 45 min and 30 min, respectively, prior to testing. Prior administration of 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) (1 mg/kg, i.p.) induced anti-immobility effects with the tricyclic antidepressant imipramine (8 mg/kg, i.p.) and noradrenaline uptake inhibitors maprotiline (8 mg/kg, i.p.) and desipramine (16 mg/kg, i.p.), but not with fluoxetine (16 mg/kg, i.p.), citalopram (16 mg/kg, i.p.) or fluvoxamine (8 mg/kg, i.p.). These effects were antagonised by prior administration of 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-4-[-(2-phthalimido)butyl]piperazine) (NAN 190) (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.). On the other hand, pretreatment with (+/-)-pindolol (32 mg/kg, i.p.) potentiated the effects of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and was devoid of any activity with imipramine (8 mg/kg, i.p.), maprotiline (8 mg/kg, i.p.) or desipramine (16 mg/kg, i.p.). Prior administration of 5-methoxy-3-(1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-4-pyridyl)-1H-indole (RU 24969) enhanced the antidepressant-like effects of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and imipramine (8 mg/kg, i.p.) in the forced swimming test. The anti-immobility effects of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the forced swimming test seem to be mediated by presynaptic 5-HT1A receptors as well as postsynaptic 5-HT1B receptors. Antidepressant-like effects of the noradrenaline uptake inhibitors seem, on the other hand, to be mediated by postsynaptic 5-HT1A receptors. Considering the variety of 5-HT receptors, it is possible that other subtypes may participate in the anti-immobility effects of antidepressants in the forced swimming test.