Antidepressant-like activity of zinc: further behavioral and molecular evidence.
Zinc exhibits antidepressant-like activity in preclinical tests (the forced swim test and tail suspension test) and in olfactory bulbectomy and chronic unpredictable stress; two models of depression. Zinc also enhances the treatment of depression in humans. In the present study we evaluated the antidepressant activity of zinc in another model of depression-chronic mild stress (CMS) and the effect of zinc treatment on BDNF protein and the mRNA level. In CMS zinc hydroaspartate (10 mg/kg) exhibited a rapid (after 1 week of treatment) antidepressant-like effect. Chronic treatment with zinc induced a 17-39% increase in the BDNF mRNA and protein level in the hippocampus. These data indicate a rapidly acting antidepressant-like activity of zinc in CMS and the involvement of zinc in the regulation of BDNF.
Sowa-Kućma
Magdalena
M
Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Smetna 12, 31-343, Kraków, Poland.
Legutko
Beata
B
Szewczyk
Bernadeta
B
Novak
Kinga
K
Znojek
Paweł
P
Poleszak
Ewa
E
Papp
Mariusz
M
Pilc
Andrzej
A
Nowak
Gabriel
G