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BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

Fish oil supplementation alleviates depressant-like behaviors and modulates lipid profiles in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress

Authors: Mimi Tang, Pei Jiang, Huande Li, Yiping Liu, Hualin Cai, Ruili Dang, Wenye Zhu, Lingjuan Cao

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2015

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Abstract

Background

Patients with major depressive disorder have a higher prevalence and incidence of dyslipidemia. However, clinical studies concerning the association between lipid levels and depression are inconsistent. Adipokines (like leptin and adiponectin) and ghrelin are strongly associated with lipid metabolism. Fish oil, which is reported to possess antidepressant effect, also have beneficial effects on lipid metabolism and the cardiovascular system. In the present study, we investigated lipid metabolism in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and the effect of fish oil on lipid profiles, aforementioned adipokines and ghrelin.

Methods

Sucrose preference test (SPT), open field test (OFT) and forced swimming test (FST) were used to evaluate the antidepressant-like effects of fish oil. After the behavior tests, peripheral blood were collected. Serum parameters, including fasting triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TCH), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), free fatty acid (FFA), glucose (GLU), adipokines (leptin, adiponectin) and ghrelin were assayed.

Results

After 5 weeks of CUMS procedures, rats were induced to depressive-like state, and exhibited increased serum levels of TCH, HDL-c, FFA and decreased serum levels of leptin and ghrelin, whereas the serum status of adiponectin, GLU, TG and LDL-c remained stable. Fish oil treatment showed robust antidepressant effect and reversed the stress-induced lipid disturbance and decrease in serum concentration of ghrelin.

Conclusions

Our results suggested that CUMS altered the serum levels of lipid profiles, leptin and ghrelin in rats. Fish oil supplementation not only provided antidepressant-like effects, but also reversed the altered lipid profiles and ghrelin level in serum. Our data indicated that fish oil treatment exerts anti-depressant effect and regulates lipid disturbance simultaneously.
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Metadata
Title
Fish oil supplementation alleviates depressant-like behaviors and modulates lipid profiles in rats exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress
Authors
Mimi Tang
Pei Jiang
Huande Li
Yiping Liu
Hualin Cai
Ruili Dang
Wenye Zhu
Lingjuan Cao
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-015-0778-1

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