title: N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid consumption produces neurobiological effects associated with prevention of depression in rats after the forced swimming test.
abstract: Epidemiological data and clinical trials suggest that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have preventive and therapeutic effects on depression; however, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. The present study aimed to examine the behavioral effects and antidepressant mechanism of n-3 PUFA using a forced swimming test. Eleven-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed an American Institute of Nutrition-93M diet containing 0%, 0.5% or 1% EPA and DHA relative to the total energy intake in their diet for 12 weeks (n=8 per group). Total dietary intake, body weight and hippocampus weights were not significantly different among groups. The groups administered 0.5% and 1% EPA+DHA diets had significantly higher levels of n-3 PUFA in their brain phospholipids compared to those in the control group. The immobility time was significantly decreased and the climbing time was significantly increased in the 0.5% and 1% EPA+DHA groups compared with those in the 0% EPA+DHA group. Plasma serotonin concentration and hippocampus c-AMP response element binding protein (CREB) expression were significantly increased in the 0.5% and 1% EPA+DHA groups compared with those in the 0% EPA+DHA group. Conversely, interleukin (IL)-6 expression was significantly reduced in the 0.5% and 1% EPA+DHA groups compared with that in the 0% EPA+DHA group. However, there were no dose-dependent effects of n-3 PUFA and no significant differences in expressions of IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, brain-derived neurotrophic factor or phosphorylated CREB. In conclusion, long-term intake of EPA+DHA induced antidepressant-like effects in rats and overexpression of CREB via decreased IL-6 expression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Hangyang University, Seoul, Korea. yongsoon@hangyang.ac.kr
authors.forename: Yongsoon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hyoun-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Seok-Hyeon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013550:Swimming; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid