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Chronic Developmental Iron Deficiency Decreases Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Leads to Depressive‐like Behavior in Rats
Author(s) -
Oh Sugyoung,
Yi Jee Hyun,
Chung Jayong
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.634.9
Subject(s) - neurogenesis , dentate gyrus , hippocampus , weaning , behavioural despair test , endocrinology , hippocampal formation , medicine , iron deficiency , elevated plus maze , psychology , neuroscience , anxiety , psychiatry , anemia , antidepressant
Severe iron deficiency in early life leads to various behavioral problems in humans as well as in animal models. Down‐regulation of neurogenesis in the hippocampus has been associated with depression. In the present study, we examined whether the developmental iron deficiency alters the neurogenesis of the hippocampus in rat and affects behavior. Pregnant rats were fed an iron‐sufficient (36ppm Fe, IS) or iron‐deficient (<6ppm Fe, ID) from gestation day 2 until weaning on postnatal day 21. At weaning, pups were continued to be fed the same diet as their respective maternal diet for additional four weeks. Neuronal cell proliferations in the hippocampus were determined by BrdU labeling. Anxiety‐ and depressive‐like behaviors were assessed using an elevated plus maze (EPM) test and forced swimming test (FST), respectively. ID rats had significantly lower levels of blood hemoglobin concentrations than those of IS rats. ID rats had significantly decreased numbers of BrdU‐positive cells in the dentate gyrus layer of the hippocampus as compared to IS rats. Moreover, ID rats showed fewer entries and less time spent in open arms in the EPM test and exhibited significantly increased immobility time in the FST. Our study data suggest that severe iron deficiency from the developmental period affects behavior in adult rats, which may be associated with the down‐regulation of neurogenesis in the hippocampus region of rat brain.