Activation of prelimbic 5-HT1A receptors produces antidepressant-like effects in a unilateral rat model of Parkinson's disease.

•Unilaterally lesioning the medial forebrain bundle in rats induced the depressive-like behaviors.•Intra-prelimbic cortex of 5-HT1A agonist produced antidepressant effects in sham and lesioned rats.•Intra-prelimbic cortex of 5-HT1A antagonist produced depressive responses in two groups of rats.•The doses producing these changes in lesioned rats were higher than those in sham rats.•The lesion decreased 5-HT1A receptor expression on neuronal glutamate transporter EAAC1-ir neurons in the prelimbic cortex.