Zinc deficiency as a possible model of depression – behavioral evaluation

• Published in: Pharmacological reports 2012-03, Vol.64 (2), p.488-489
• Main Authors: Doboszewska, Urszula, Szewczyk, Bernadeta, Sowa-Kućma, Magdalena, Nowak, Gabriel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Drug Safety and Pharmacovigilance; Oral Presentation; Pharmacotherapy; Pharmacy
• ISSN: 1734-1140; 2299-5684
• DOI: 10.1016/S1734-1140(12)70821-6

There is much evidence supporting a link between serum zinc level and mood disorders [McLoughlin and Hodge, Acta Psychiatr Scand, 1990; Maes et al., J Affect Disord, 1994, Maes et al., Biol Psychiatry, 1997, Siwek et al., J Affect Disord, 2010]. It has been also reported that zinc deficiency induced by zinc – deficient diet elicits behavioral disturbances in animals, e.g., enhanced depressive – like behavior was found after dietary zinc deprivation in the forced swim test (FST) [Tamano et al., Neurochem Int, 2009; Whittle et al., Amino Acids, 2009]. Since there is a relationship between zinc homeostasis and depression in humans and since zinc deprivation induces depressive – like behavior in animals it seems interesting to evaluate if procedure of zinc deprivation might be useful on preclinical level as a model of depression. The aim of the present study was to examine behavioral changes induced by zinc deficiency as a possible model of depression. Male Sprague Dowley rats were fed the control (30mg Zn/kg) or zinc deficient (3mg Zn/kg) diet for 4 weeks. Behavior of the control and zinc deficient rats was assessed in the forced swim test (FST) and the open field test. Locomotor activity was also measured. Zinc deficiency resulted in a significant increase in immobility time and decreased swimming and climbing in the FST. The spontaneous locomotor activity was significantly increased in zinc deficient rats compared to control animals. Four weeks of zinc deprivation seems to influence also exploratory activity of rats (the number of rearing was decreased in zinc deficient rats while the number of line crossing were not different between the control and zinc deprived animals). This data indicated that dietary-induced zinc – deficiency leads to the development of depressive – like behavior and that experimentally induced zinc – deficiency might be a useful model of depression.