The study of neuroendocrine mechanism of depression induced by chronic mild stress.
- Author:
Wei LIU
1
;
Ling-Jia QIAN
;
Zhi-Hua YANG
;
Rui ZHAN
;
Hong FENG
;
Lei WU
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Animals; Depression; metabolism; Epinephrine; metabolism; Hippocampus; metabolism; Male; Neurosecretory Systems; metabolism; Norepinephrine; metabolism; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Serotonin; metabolism; Stress, Psychological; metabolism
- From: Chinese Journal of Applied Physiology 2006;22(2):169-172
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
AIMTo elucidate the mechanism of depression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), the effects of CUMS on serotonin (5-HT), tryptophan, stress hormones and behaviour were investigated in rats.
METHODSDepression was induced by for 8 weeks CUMS and confirmed by behavioral tests, the brain and plasma levels of monoamine neurotransmitters were analyzed by HPLC-ECD techniques, the content of plasma corticosterone was evaluated by I125 cortisol radioactivity immunoassay and the serum tryptophan content was measured by HTTACHI L-8800 amino acid analyzer.
RESULTS(1) Rats exposed to a series of mild, unpredictable stressors for 8 weeks displayed the decreased body weight, reduced scores of open-field test and preference of sucrose solution (P < 0.05). (2) Plasma and brain 5-HT contents in rats after exposure to CUMS 8 weeks decreased significantly (P < 0.05). While serum tryptophan content increased at the same time (P < 0.05). (3) Plasma norepinephrine and epinephrine in rats were increased after CUMS 8 weeks, but there was no difference between control and CUMS group in plasma corticosterone.
CONCLUSIONThe behavioral changes induced by CUMS for 8 weeks are similar to the features of human depression, which may be related to the disturbances of tryptophan metabolism induced by increased norepinephrine and epinephrine in CUMS rat.