The effect of ovariectomy and continuous subcutaneous replacement of 17beta-estradiol was examined in female Wistar rats. Tail skin temperature significantly increased in ovariectomized rats 6 days after ovariectomy, and the elevated level was sustained until 21 days after ovariectomy. 17beta-Estradiol at doses of 0.3 and 1.0 microg/body/day suppressed the increases in tail skin temperature. In the forced swimming test, the ovariectomized control rats showed significantly prolonged immobility time in comparison with sham-ovariectomized rats 14 days after ovariectomy. The duration of immobility of ovariectomized rats treated with 17beta-estradiol (0.3, 1.0, 3.0 microg/body/day) or maprotiline (0.6 mg/body/day) was significantly shorter than that of ovariectomized control rats.