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Fisher AL, Arora K, Maehashi S, Schweitzer D, Akefe IO. Unveiling the neurolipidome of obsessive-compulsive disorder: A scoping review navigating future diagnostic and therapeutic applications. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 166:105885. [PMID: 39265965 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 09/05/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/14/2024]
Abstract
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) poses a multifaceted challenge in psychiatry, with various subtypes and severities greatly impacting well-being. Recent scientific attention has turned towards lipid metabolism, particularly the neurolipidome, in response to clinical demands for cost-effective diagnostics and therapies. This scoping review integrates recent animal, translational, and clinical studies to explore impaired neurolipid metabolism mechanisms in OCD's pathogenesis, aiming to enhance future diagnostics and therapeutics. Five key neurolipids - endocannabinoids, lipid peroxidation, phospholipids, cholesterol, and fatty acids - were identified as relevant. While the endocannabinoid system shows promise in animal models, its clinical application remains limited. Conversely, lipid peroxidation and disruptions in phospholipid metabolism exhibit significant impacts on OCD's pathophysiology based on robust clinical data. However, the role of cholesterol and fatty acids remains inconclusive. The review emphasises the importance of translational research in linking preclinical findings to real-world applications, highlighting the potential of the neurolipidome as a potential biomarker for OCD detection and monitoring. Further research is essential for advancing OCD understanding and treatment modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Lara Fisher
- Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
| | - Kabir Arora
- Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Saki Maehashi
- Medical School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | | | - Isaac Oluwatobi Akefe
- CDU Menzies School of Medicine, Charles Darwin University, Ellengowan Drive, Darwin, NT 0909, Australia.
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Farber C, Renteria K, Ritter J, Muraida JD, Rivers C, McKenzie A, Zhu J, Koh GY, Lane MA. Comparison of maternal versus postweaning ingestion of a high fat, high sucrose diet on depression-related behavior, novelty reactivity, and corticosterone levels in young, adult rat offspring. Behav Brain Res 2023; 455:114677. [PMID: 37734488 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Consumption of a Western-type diet, high in fat and sugar, by mothers as well as maternal weight gain and obesity during gestation and lactation may impact offspring risk for mood and cognitive disorders. The objective of this study was to determine if ingestion of a high fat, high sucrose (HFS) diet by rat dams during gestation and lactation or by their pups after weaning impacted these behaviors and stress responsivity in young, adult offspring. To accomplish this, dams consumed either a 45% fat/high sucrose (HFS) diet or the AIN93G control diet during gestation and lactation. At weaning, pups from dams that consumed the HFS diet were weaned to the control diet. Pups from dams assigned to the control diet were weaned to either the control or HFS diet. Pup behavioral testing began at 10 weeks of age. Pups whose dams consumed the HFS diet during gestation and lactation exhibited increased depression-related behavior and baseline serum corticosterone levels, but no difference in peak levels in response to stress. Male pups of these dams displayed increased working memory during acquisition of the holeboard task and tended to exhibit more anxiety-related behavior in the elevated O-maze test. Regardless of when consumed, the HFS diet increased novelty reactivity in the open field test. These data indicate that diet but not maternal weight gain during gestation impacts offspring behavior and elevates stress hormone levels. Also, regardless of when consumed, the HFS diet increases novelty reactivity, a risk factor for depression and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Farber
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
| | - Karisa Renteria
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
| | - Jordan Ritter
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
| | - J D Muraida
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
| | - Carley Rivers
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
| | - Avery McKenzie
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
| | - Jie Zhu
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
| | - Gar Yee Koh
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, United States
| | - Michelle A Lane
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, United States.
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Ekong MB, Iniodu CF. Nutritional therapy can reduce the burden of depression management in low income countries: A review. IBRO Neurosci Rep 2021; 11:15-28. [PMID: 34939062 PMCID: PMC8664701 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibneur.2021.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a serious mental and mood disorder with global health and economic burden. This burden may be overwhelming in low income countries, although there are insufficient data. Most antidepressant formulations are predicated on the monoamine, neuroendocrine and neuro-inflammation hypotheses, with little or no cognizance to other neurochemicals altered in depression. A nutritional strategy with or without conventional antidepressants is recommended, as nutrition plays vital roles in the onset, severity and duration of depression, with poor nutrition contributing to its pathogenesis. This review discusses nutritional potentials of utilizing omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, vitamins, minerals and herbs or their phytochemicals in the management of depression with the aim of reducing depression burden. Literature search of empirical data in books and journals in data bases including but not limited to PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Web of Science and Google Scholar that might contain discussions of sampling were sought, their full text obtained, and searched for relevant content to determine eligibility. Omega-3 fatty and amino acids had significant positive anti-depression outcomes, while vitamins and minerals although essential, enhanced omega-3 fatty and amino acids activities. Some herbs either as whole extracts or their phytochemicals/metabolites had significant positive anti-depression efficacy. Nutrition through the application of necessary food classes or herbs as well as their phytochemicals, may go a long way to effectively manage depression. This therefore will provide inexpensive, natural, and non-invasive therapeutic means with reduced adverse effects that can also be applied alongside clinical management. This nutritional strategy should be given more attention in research, assessment and treatment for those with depression and other mental illness in low income countries, especially in Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moses B Ekong
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, Nigeria
| | - Clementina F Iniodu
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Uyo, Nigeria
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Efficacy of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) on Impulsive Behaviours and Aggressiveness in Psychiatric Disorders. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020620. [PMID: 33435512 PMCID: PMC7826871 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
It is the focus of increasing interest to investigate the effects of long-chain n-3 and long-chain n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFAs; LC n-6 PUFAs) on psychiatric symptoms in a transdiagnostic perspective. There is some evidence that low levels of LC n-3 PUFAs and a higher ratio of LC n-6 to LC n-3 PUFAs in plasma and blood cells are associated with aggressive and impulsive behaviours. Therefore, implementation of LC n-3 PUFAs may produce positive effects on hostility, aggression, and impulsivity in both psychiatric and non-psychiatric samples across different stages of life. A possible mechanism of action of LC n-3 PUFAs in conditions characterized by a high level of impulsivity and aggression is due to the effect of these compounds on the serotonin system and membrane stability. Studies that evaluated the effects of LC n-3 PUFAs on impulsivity and aggressiveness indicated that addition of rather low doses of these agents to antipsychotic treatment might reduce agitation and violent behaviours in psychosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, personality disorders, and impulsive control and conduct disorders. The present review is aimed at examining and discussing available data from recent trials on this topic.
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Carlson SJ, O'Loughlin AA, Anez-Bustillos L, Baker MA, Andrews NA, Gunner G, Dao DT, Pan A, Nandivada P, Chang M, Cowan E, Mitchell PD, Gura KM, Fagiolini M, Puder M. A Diet With Docosahexaenoic and Arachidonic Acids as the Sole Source of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Is Sufficient to Support Visual, Cognitive, Motor, and Social Development in Mice. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:72. [PMID: 30858795 PMCID: PMC6397844 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.00072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids serve multiple functions in neurodevelopment and neurocognitive function. Intravenous lipid emulsions are administered to children that are dependent on parenteral nutrition to provide the essential fatty acids needed to sustain growth and development. One of these emulsions, derived from fish-oil, is particularly poor in the traditional essential fatty acids, linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids. However, it does contain adequate amounts of its main derivatives, arachidonic acid (ARA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), respectively. This skewed composition has raised concern about the sole use of fish-oil based lipid emulsions in children and how its administration can be detrimental to their neurodevelopment. Using a custom-made diet that contains ARA and DHA as a sole source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, we bred and fed mice for multiple generations. Compared to adult, chow-fed mice, animals maintained on this special diet showed similar outcomes in a battery of neurocognitive tests performed under controlled conditions. Chow-fed mice did perform better in the rotarod test for ataxia and balance, although both experimental groups showed a conserved motor learning capacity. Conversely, mice fed the custom diet rich in DHA and ARA showed less neophobia than the chow-fed animals. Results from these experiments suggest that providing a diet where ARA and DHA are the sole source of polyunsaturated fatty acids is sufficient to support gross visual, cognitive, motor, and social development in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J Carlson
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Alison A O'Loughlin
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lorenzo Anez-Bustillos
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Meredith A Baker
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nicholas A Andrews
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital - Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Georgia Gunner
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital - Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Duy T Dao
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Amy Pan
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Prathima Nandivada
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Melissa Chang
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Eileen Cowan
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Paul D Mitchell
- Institutional Centers for Clinical and Translational Research, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kathleen M Gura
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Pharmacy, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Michela Fagiolini
- Department of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital - Program in Neuroscience, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Mark Puder
- Vascular Biology Program and Department of Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States
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Jackson C, Barrett DW, Shumake J, Gonzales E, Gonzalez-Lima F, Lane MA. Maternal omega-3 fatty acid intake during neurodevelopment does not affect pup behavior related to depression, novelty, or learning. BMC Res Notes 2018; 11:812. [PMID: 30442183 PMCID: PMC6238316 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-018-3915-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 11/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Previously, we showed that consumption of a diet supplemented with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3FAs) for two rounds of gestation and lactation increased the ability of rat dams to cope with stress when compared to dams that ingested a diet lacking n-3FAs. The objective of this study was to determine if the diets of these dams affected the behavior of their pups later in life. To isolate the neurodevelopmental effects of n-3FAs, pups from the second gestation were weaned to a diet adequate in n-3FAs. Pup testing began at 8 weeks of age and consisted of the forced swim, open field, and hole board tests to examine depression-related behavior, reaction to novelty, and learning and memory, respectively. Results Given the considerable difference in the n-3FA content of the maternal diet, we expected a large effect size, however with the exception of rearing duration, maternal diet did not affect behavior in any of the tests conducted. These results suggest that maternal n-3FA supplementation during neurodevelopment likely does not affect offspring behavior when a diet adequate in n-3FA is provided post-weaning. Rather, we hypothesize that brain n-3FAs at the time of testing confer altered behavior and corroborate the need for additional research. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13104-018-3915-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Jackson
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - Douglas W Barrett
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton Stop A8000, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Jason Shumake
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton Stop A8000, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Elisa Gonzales
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA
| | - F Gonzalez-Lima
- Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Austin, 108 E. Dean Keeton Stop A8000, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Michelle A Lane
- Nutrition and Foods Program, School of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
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Steyn SF, Harvey BH, Brink CB. Immediate and long-term antidepressive-like effects of pre-pubertal escitalopram and omega-3 supplementation combination in young adult stress-sensitive rats. Behav Brain Res 2018; 351:49-62. [PMID: 29807070 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Revised: 05/22/2018] [Accepted: 05/22/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects a significant number of children and adolescents, yet treatment options for this population remain very limited. Escitalopram (ESC) is one of only two antidepressants approved as treatment for juvenile depression. Still, delayed onset of action, and immediate plus the risk of lasting side effects contribute to low patient adherence, and places the medical prescriber in a difficult situation weighing the potential long-term effects of juvenile treatment against the known consequences of untreated MDD. Research into alternative or augmentation strategies and their long-term effects are needed to improve clinical outcome and better our understanding of the long-term consequences of early-life treatment. We investigated the early-life (postnatal day 35 (PND35)) and lasting (PND60) bio-behavioural effects of pre-pubertal (PND21 to PND34) escitalopram (ESC) administration and/or ω-3 supplementation (OM3) in stress sensitive Flinders Sensitive Line rats. Only ESC treatment showed a strong trend to decrease depressive-like behaviour via significantly increased climbing behaviour on PND35. However, OM3 treatment reduced locomotor activity and increased hippocampal neuroplasticity on PND35, suggesting improved coping behaviour and masking of possible antidepressant-like effects. Reduced locomotor activity lasted into early-adulthood on PND60, despite a treatment-free period from PND35 to PND60. Regardless, early-adulthood antidepressive-like behaviour was only observed in the combination treatment (ESC + OM3) group, despite a significant increase in serotonin turnover, suggesting strong neurodevelopmental process to be involved. Taken together, the combination of ESC and OM3 might induce lasting beneficial neurodevelopmental effects in a stress-sensitive population, suggesting a possible role in current treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanus F Steyn
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North West-University, South Africa
| | - Brian H Harvey
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North West-University, South Africa
| | - Christiaan B Brink
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North West-University, South Africa.
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Almeida RFD, Ganzella M, Machado DG, Loureiro SO, Leffa D, Quincozes-Santos A, Pettenuzzo LF, Duarte MMMF, Duarte T, Souza DO. Olfactory bulbectomy in mice triggers transient and long-lasting behavioral impairments and biochemical hippocampal disturbances. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2017; 76:1-11. [PMID: 28223107 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Revised: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a neuropsychiatric disease that is associated with profound disturbances in affected individuals. Elucidating the pathophysiology of MDD has been frustratingly slow, especially concerning the neurochemical events and brain regions associated with disease progression. Thus, we evaluated the time-course (up to 8weeks) behavioral and biochemical effects in mice that underwent to a bilateral olfactory bulbectomy (OBX), which is used to modeling depressive-like behavior in rodents. Similar to the symptoms in patients with MDD, OBX induced long-lasting (e.g., impairment of habituation to novelty, hyperactivity and an anxiety-like phenotype) and transient (e.g., loss of self-care and motivational behavior) behavioral effects. Moreover, OBX temporarily impaired hippocampal synaptosomal mitochondria, in a manner that would be associated with hippocampal-related synaptotoxicity. Finally, long-lasting pro-oxidative (i.e., increased levels of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide and decreased glutathione levels) and pro-inflammatory (i.e., increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α and decreased anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 levels) effects were induced in the hippocampus by OBX. Additionally, these parameters were transiently affected in the posterior and frontal cortices. This study is the first to suggest that the transient and long-lasting behavioral effects from OBX strongly correlate with mitochondrial, oxidative and inflammatory parameters in the hippocampus; furthermore, these effects show a weak correlation with these parameters in the cortex. Our findings highlight the underlying mechanisms involved in the biochemical time course of events related to depressive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Farina de Almeida
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Ganzella
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Neurobiology Department, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Daniele Guilhermano Machado
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Samanta Oliveira Loureiro
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Douglas Leffa
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - André Quincozes-Santos
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Letícia Ferreira Pettenuzzo
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | | | - Thiago Duarte
- Departamento de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Luterana do Brasil - Campus Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
| | - Diogo Onofre Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Chen J, Barrett DW, He Y, Gonzalez-Lima F. Anxiolytic-like behavioural effects of head electroacupuncture in rats susceptible to stress. Acupunct Med 2016; 34:235-40. [PMID: 27126102 DOI: 10.1136/acupmed-2015-010978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
AIM To evaluate the behavioural effects of head electroacupuncture (EA) using the Holtzman rat model, a genetic strain showing susceptibility to stress-evoked helplessness. METHODS Putative anxiolytic and antidepressant behavioural effects of head EA were investigated using the light-dark and forced swim tests, respectively. The open field test was used to investigate motor activity. A total of 28 rats were used in two experiments, each with two groups (n=7 rats each). Rats were restrained and randomised to handling only (control) or 2Hz EA on the midline head anteriorly (at Yintang) and posteriorly (at GV20) for 3 days (experiment 1) or 4 days (experiment 2). RESULTS One day of EA did not modify behaviour in any of the tests (p>0.1); however, 2 days of 2 Hz EA treatment to the head had anxiolytic-like effects, as indicated by an improvement in ambulatory time and average velocity in the light-dark test (experiment 2). Relative to the control group, the EA group demonstrated greater ambulatory time (37.0±3.7 vs 25.2±3.6 s, p<0.05) and lower average velocity (2.73±0.06 vs 3.08±0.13 cm/s, p<0.05). However, EA treatment had no significant effects on the open field and forced swim tests in either experiment. CONCLUSIONS Two days of EA treatment using 2 Hz pulsating electrical current at midline anterior and posterior acupuncture points on the head induces behavioural effects suggestive of anxiolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Chen
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Douglas W Barrett
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Yuxin He
- AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - F Gonzalez-Lima
- Department of Psychology and Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
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Wani AL, Bhat SA, Ara A. Omega-3 fatty acids and the treatment of depression: a review of scientific evidence. Integr Med Res 2015; 4:132-141. [PMID: 28664119 PMCID: PMC5481805 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2015.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2015] [Revised: 06/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a condition in which an individual feels lethargic, irritable, and guilty, has difficulty and trouble, no enjoyment in life, mood swings, sometimes suicidal ideation and thoughts, and loss of pleasure in activities. There are hundreds of millions of individuals suffering from major depression disorder all over the world. This leads to a considerable portion of the economy going for treatment as large amounts of money are spent on drugs every year. Pharmaceutical drugs are not very effective and they also have side effects that compound the problem. There are number of studies which shows that omega-3 fatty acids are proving to be very effective against the treatment of major depression disorder and other psychiatric disorders. However, the data regarding the efficacy of omega-3 fatty acids in depression treatment are conflicted. This article reviews the recent research showing the relation between omega-3 fatty acids and depression. The roles of the omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of depression are being studied with increased pace in the last decade due to heightened prevalence of depression. It is emphasized that omega-3 fatty acids have no record of associated side effects, which deserves greater attention for further research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Anjum Ara
- Section of Genetics, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Science, Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh, India
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