Antidepressant effect of taurine in chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced depressive rats

Abstract

Depression, a psychiatric and dysthymic disorder, severely affects the learning, work and life quality. The main pathogenesis of depression is associated with central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction. Taurine has been demonstrated to exert protective effects on the brain development and can improve learning ability and memory. Our study investigated the antidepressant-like effects of taurine pre-treatment by examining the changes in depression-like behavior, hormones, neurotransmitters, inflammatory factors and neurotrophic factors in the hippocampus of a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced depressive rat model. Taurine was found to inhibit the decrease of sucrose consumption and prevent the deficiency of spatial memory and anxiety in rats exposed to CUMS, suggesting a preventive effect of taurine on depression-like behavior. Furthermore, the decreased levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine, dopamine, noradrenaline; the increased levels of glutamate, corticosterone; and the decreased expressions of fibroblast growth factor-2, vascular endothelial growth factor and brain derived neurotrophic factor in depressive rats were hindered by taurine pre-administration. However, tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β levels were not significantly changed by taurine. The results demonstrated that the anti-depressive effect of taurine may be involved in the regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the promotion of neurogenesis, neuronal survival and growth in the hippocampus.

Long‐term stability and characteristics of behavioral, biochemical, and molecular markers of three different rodent models for depression

“…The UCMS model includes chronic depression by presenting unpredictable stress stimuli (Gupta et al, ) such as multiple, randomly scheduled food and water deprivation, overnight illumination, cage tilting, and other similar stressors that may be associated with human patients (Boyle et al, ). In most published studies, the UCMS model induced depression for 2–4 weeks, but some have been tested for up to eight weeks (He et al, ; Wu et al, ; Xia et al, ; Yan et al, ; N. Zhang et al, ). High levels of serum cortisol, related to elevated hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis activity, can be associated with depression.…”

Seasonal changes in NRF2 antioxidant pathway regulates winter depression-like behavior

“…2B). Taurine is thought to act as a glutamate antagonist and has antidepressant activity (13). We found reduced taurine levels in medaka brains in SC conditions (Fig.…”

Retrospective cost-utility and budget impact assessments of Hypericum perforatum in contrast with Fluoxetine treatment for depression in Karachi, Pakistan

“…According to WHO depression is a psychological disorder that originates from various unspecified reasons. With a prevalence of 28.2% in young population (Oyekcin, Sahim, Aldemir, 2017) and with an annual rise to 113%, this psychological condition has been affecting 4.7% of today's world population (Xu et al, 2017;Wu et al, 2017). Depression is generally characterized as the cerebral impairment categorized by the absence of a positive demeanor.…”

“…This represents a clear loss of the presence of enthusiasm and charisma for personal belongings, daily life activities as well as social participation and person becomes introvert. Depression is strongly associated with indications that represents susceptibility to mourning, peevishness and impatience, frequent withdrawals, and aggravation of a very unusual feelings (Wu et al, 2017), particularly the presence of feelings of inferiority and a state of mind for guiltiness (Zhang et al, 2016;Supartini, Oishi, Yagi, 2017). There is loss of libido and the prostration along with the diminished body movements and noticeable nervousness is more recurrent than general anxiety in depression.…”