title: Brain neurotransmitters in an animal model with postpartum depressive-like behavior.
abstract: Post-Partum Depression (PPD) occurs in 15% of pregnancies and its patho-physiology is not known. We studied female BALB/c ("depressive") and C57BL/6 (control) mice as a model for PPD and assessed their behavior and correlates with brain neurotransmitters (NTs) - norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin and intermediates, during the pre-pregnancy (PREP), pregnancy (PREG) and post-partum (PP) periods. Depressive-like behavior was evaluated by the Open Field (OFT), Tail Suspension (TST) and Forced Swim (FST) tests. Neurotransmitters (NTs) were determined in the striatum (care-giving), hippocampus (cognitive function) and hypothalamus (maternal care & eating behavior). In the BALB/c mice, while their performance in all behavioral tests was significantly reduced during pregnancy and P-P indicative of the development of depressive-like responses, no changes were observed in the C57BL/6 mice. Changes in NTs in BALB/C were as follows: PREP, all NTs in the three brain areas were decreased, although an increase in dopamine release was observed in the hippocampus. PREG: No changes were observed in the NTs except for a decrease in 5-HT in the striatum. P-P: striatum, low 5-HT, NE and dopamine; Hippocampus: low 5-HT, NE and high Dopamine; hypothalamus: all NTs increased, especially NE. Following pregnancy and delivery, the BALB/c mice developed depressive-like behavior associated with a significant decrease in 5-HT, dopamine and NE in the striatum and 5-HT and NE in the hippocampus. Dopamine increased in the latter together with a significant increase in all NTs in the hypothalamus. These findings suggest that the development of PPD may be associated with NT changes. Normalization of these alterations may have a role in the treatment of PPD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism and Human Nutrition, Braun School of Public Health, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel. Electronic address: yosefaa@ekmd.huji.ac.il.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Avraham
authors.affiliation: Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hants
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism and Human Nutrition, Braun School of Public Health, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vorobeiv
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism and Human Nutrition, Braun School of Public Health, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Staum
authors.affiliation: Department of Metabolism and Human Nutrition, Braun School of Public Health, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Wiessam
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Abu Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mankuta
authors.affiliation: Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Galun
authors.affiliation: Hadassah Hebrew University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arbel-Alon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism*; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000378:metabolism*; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017072:Neostriatum / Q000378:metabolism*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents
keywords: Forced swim test; Maternal behavior; Neurotransmitters (NT); Open field test; Post-partum depression (PPD); Tail suspension test