{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,21]],"date-time":"2026-09-21T01:06:49Z","timestamp":1789952809904,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":44,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,13]],"date-time":"2020-10-13T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1602547200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Pathophysiology of postpartum depression (PPD) has been associated with many factors, such as neuroendocrine, neuroinflammation and neurotransmitter changes. Fish oil (FO) improves PPD both in humans and animals. However, little is known with regards to its pharmacology on a PPD-like rat model. Hence, the current study aimed at investigating the effects of FO on a PPD-like rat model. Female rats were induced with PPD-like symptoms and then randomly divided into six groups (n = 6) for two experimental protocols. Protocol 1 consisted of PPD-like rats (2 mL distilled water), PPD-like + FO (9 g\/kg\/d) and PPD-like + Fluoxetine (FLX) (15 mg\/kg\/d) groups of rats, whereas Protocol 2 consisted of PPD-like rats (2 mL distilled water) + PCPA (p-chlorophenylalanine) 150 mg\/kg, PPD-like + FO (9 g\/kg\/d) + PCPA 150 mg\/kg and PPD-like + FLX (15 mg\/d) + PCPA 150 mg\/kg groups of rats, respectively. All treatments were administered orally for 10 days postpartum, except PCPA, which was given intraperitoneally. Prior to euthanasia, the antidepressant-like effect of the FO was evaluated using the forced swimming test (FST) and open field test (OFT) on day 10 postpartum. Biochemical analysis of serotonin, serotonin metabolite and serotonin turnover from their prefrontal cortex and hippocampus were also measured. The results showed that FO decreased immobility time and increased swimming time significantly, but not climbing time in FST. Further, it also decreased serotonin metabolite and turnover significantly in the hippocampus of the PPD-like rats. In contrast, administration with PCPA reversed all the outcomes. The antidepressant-like effects of FO were found to be similar with that of FLX. Thus, it can be concluded that FO exerts its antidepressant-like effects in PPD-like rats through modulation of serotonergic system.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/brainsci10100733","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,13]],"date-time":"2020-10-13T21:48:38Z","timestamp":1602625718000},"page":"733","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Antidepressant-Like Properties of Fish Oil on Postpartum Depression-Like Rats Model: Involvement of Serotonergic System"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"10","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3684-3283","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nurul Uyun","family":"Abdul Aziz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9638-4931","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samaila Musa","family":"Chiroma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia"},{"name":"Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Basic Medical Science, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri 600231, Borno State, Nigeria"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-9282-129X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mohamad Aris","family":"Mohd Moklas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mohd Ilham","family":"Adenan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Atta-ur-Rahman Institute for Natural Product Discovery, Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) Kampus Puncak Alam, Bandar Puncak Alam 42300, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Amin","family":"Ismail","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nutrition &amp; Dietetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mohamad Taufik","family":"Hidayat Baharuldin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,13]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tins.2016.11.009","article-title":"The Neurobiology of Postpartum Anxiety and Depression","volume":"40","author":"Pawluski","year":"2017","journal-title":"Trends Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"139","DOI":"10.2471\/BLT.11.091850","article-title":"Prevalence and determinants of common perinatal mental disorders in women in low- and lower-middle-income countries: A systematic review","volume":"90","author":"Fisher","year":"2011","journal-title":"Bull. World Heal. Organ."},{"key":"ref_3","unstructured":"World Health Organization (2020, June 18). Maternal Mental Health. Available online: http:\/\/www.who.int\/mental_health\/maternal-child\/maternal_mental_health\/en\/."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1016\/j.eurpsy.2016.11.009","article-title":"Positive screening and risk factors for postpartum depression","volume":"42","author":"Palumbo","year":"2017","journal-title":"Eur. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Levant, B. (2016). Role of n-3 (Omega-3) Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Postpartum Depression: Mechanisms and Implications for Prevention and Treatment. Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-3-319-40458-5_22"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Abbasi-Maleki, S., Kadkhoda, Z., and Taghizad-Farid, R. (2019). The antidepressant-like effects of Origanum majorana essential oil on mice through monoaminergic modulation using the forced swimming test. J. Tradit. Complement. Med.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jtcme.2019.01.003"},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"13","DOI":"10.1177\/0269881115609072","article-title":"The serotonergic system in the neurobiology of depression: Relevance for novel antidepressants","volume":"30","author":"Cierpinsky","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Psychopharmacol."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"474","DOI":"10.1080\/1028415X.2017.1411320","article-title":"A Mediterranean-style dietary intervention supplemented with fish oil improves diet quality and mental health in people with depression: A randomized controlled trial (HELFIMED)","volume":"22","author":"Parletta","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nutr. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nutres.2017.10.013","article-title":"Systematic review and meta-analysis of omega-3-fatty acids in elderly patients with depression","volume":"50","author":"Bae","year":"2018","journal-title":"Nutr. Res."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7327","DOI":"10.1007\/s12035-016-0212-9","article-title":"Fish Oil Prevents Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Depressive-Like Behavior by Inhibiting Neuroinflammation","volume":"54","author":"Shi","year":"2016","journal-title":"Mol. Neurobiol."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"893","DOI":"10.1007\/s00394-016-1373-z","article-title":"Fish oil supplementation attenuates neuroinflammation and alleviates depressive-like behavior in rats submitted to repeated lipopolysaccharide","volume":"57","author":"Dang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Eur. J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"47","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jad.2018.05.018","article-title":"Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in prevention and treatment of maternal depression: Putative mechanism and recommendation","volume":"238","author":"Hsu","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Affect. Disord."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbr.2014.05.036","article-title":"Antidepressant-like effects of omega-3 fatty acids in postpartum model of depression in rats","volume":"271","author":"Arbabi","year":"2014","journal-title":"Behav. Brain Res."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"266","DOI":"10.1111\/ejn.12406","article-title":"Fish oil improves anxiety-like, depressive-like and cognitive behaviors in olfactory bulbectomised rats","volume":"39","author":"Pudell","year":"2013","journal-title":"Eur. J. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"184","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neuropharm.2011.06.017","article-title":"The role of 5-HT1A receptors in fish oil-mediated increased BDNF expression in the rat hippocampus and cortex: A possible antidepressant mechanism","volume":"62","author":"Vines","year":"2012","journal-title":"Neuropharmacology"},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"206","DOI":"10.1007\/s12035-014-8849-8","article-title":"The Antidepressant-Like Effect of Fish Oil: Possible Role of Ventral Hippocampal 5-HT1A Post-synaptic Receptor","volume":"52","author":"Carabelli","year":"2014","journal-title":"Mol. Neurobiol."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1469209","DOI":"10.1155\/2017\/1469209","article-title":"Antidepressant-Like Effect of Lipid Extract ofChanna striatusin Postpartum Model of Depression in Rats","volume":"2017","author":"Shukkoor","year":"2017","journal-title":"Evid. Based Complement. Altern. Med."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"66","DOI":"10.1007\/BF02245592","article-title":"Active behaviors in the rat forced swimming test differentially produced by serotonergic and noradrenergic antidepressants","volume":"121","author":"Detke","year":"1995","journal-title":"Psychopharmacology"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Hoge, A., Tabar, V., Donneau, A.-F., Dardenne, N., Deg\u00e9e, S., Timmermans, M., Nisolle, M., Guillaume, M., and Castronovo, V. (2019). Hoge Imbalance between Omega-6 and Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Early Pregnancy Is Predictive of Postpartum Depression in a Belgian Cohort. Nutrients, 11.","DOI":"10.3390\/nu11040876"},{"key":"ref_20","unstructured":"Dickinson, K. (2020, September 23). Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Treatment of Postpartum Depression. Available online: https:\/\/digitalcommons.murraystate.edu\/scholarsweek\/Fall2018\/ClinicalHealthcare\/8\/."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"817814","DOI":"10.1155\/2012\/817814","article-title":"The Effects of Cosmos caudatus on Structural Bone Histomorphometry in Ovariectomized Rats","volume":"2012","author":"Mohamed","year":"2012","journal-title":"Evid.-Based Complement. Altern. Med."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1602","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopha.2018.04.152","article-title":"d-galactose and aluminium chloride induced rat model with cognitive impairments","volume":"103","author":"Chiroma","year":"2018","journal-title":"Biomed. Pharmacother."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3233","DOI":"10.15419\/bmrat.v6i6.550","article-title":"Centella asiatica prevents chronic unpredictable mild stress-induced behavioral changes in rats","volume":"6","author":"Jagadeesan","year":"2019","journal-title":"Biomed. Res. Ther."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"730","DOI":"10.1038\/266730a0","article-title":"Depression: A new animal model sensitive to antidepressant treatments","volume":"266","author":"Porsolt","year":"1977","journal-title":"Nature"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pbb.2015.09.016","article-title":"Antidepressant-like effects of the xanthine oxidase enzyme inhibitor allopurinol in rats. A comparison with fluoxetine","volume":"138","author":"Ozgur","year":"2015","journal-title":"Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"90","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rips.2015.04.004","article-title":"The effect of recording interval length on behavioral assessment using the forced swimming test","volume":"6","author":"Banqueri","year":"2015","journal-title":"Revista Iberoamericana de Psicolog\u00eda y Salud"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"247","DOI":"10.1016\/0149-7634(81)90005-1","article-title":"Acute and chronic stress effects on open field activity in the rat: Implications for a model of depression","volume":"5","author":"Katz","year":"1981","journal-title":"Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"547","DOI":"10.1016\/j.neubiorev.2005.03.008","article-title":"Assessing substrates underlying the behavioral effects of antidepressants using the modified rat forced swimming test","volume":"29","author":"Cryan","year":"2005","journal-title":"Neurosci. Biobehav. Rev."},{"key":"ref_29","unstructured":"Muller, C.P., and Jacobs, B.L. (2010). Evolution of serotonin: Sunlight to suicide. Handbook of the Behavioral Neurobiology of Serotonin, Academic Press."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"853","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopha.2018.10.111","article-title":"Protective effect of Centella asiatica against D-galactose and aluminium chloride induced rats: Behavioral and ultrastructural approaches","volume":"109","author":"Chiroma","year":"2019","journal-title":"Biomed. Pharmacother."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"540","DOI":"10.1016\/j.pharep.2017.11.020","article-title":"Akhtar, Protective effect of betulinic acid againstintracerebroventricular streptozotocin induced cognitive impairment and neuronal damage in rats: Possible neurotransmitters and neuroinflammatory mechanism","volume":"70","author":"Kaundal","year":"2018","journal-title":"Pharmacol. Rep."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1016\/j.bbr.2015.10.058","article-title":"Effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid treatment over mechanical allodynia and depressive-like behavior associated with experimental diabetes","volume":"298","author":"Redivo","year":"2016","journal-title":"Behav. Brain Res."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"449","DOI":"10.1007\/s43440-020-00067-5","article-title":"Antidepressant-like effects of kynurenic acid in a modified forced swim test","volume":"72","author":"Tanaka","year":"2020","journal-title":"Pharmacol. Rep."},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"165","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yfrne.2018.12.001","article-title":"Pathophysiological mechanisms implicated in postpartum depression","volume":"52","author":"Payne","year":"2019","journal-title":"Front. Neuroendocr."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"471","DOI":"10.31887\/DCNS.2010.12.4\/ycharnay","article-title":"Brain serotonergic circuitries","volume":"12","author":"Charnay","year":"2010","journal-title":"Dialog Clin. Neurosci."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1016\/j.steroids.2018.03.005","article-title":"Antidepressant effects of magnolol in a mouse model of depression induced by chronic corticosterone injection","volume":"135","author":"Bai","year":"2018","journal-title":"Steroids"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"853","DOI":"10.1007\/s00404-017-4313-0","article-title":"Serum serotonin, leptin, and adiponectin changes in women with postpartum depression: Controlled study","volume":"295","author":"Yildiz","year":"2017","journal-title":"Arch. Gynecol. Obstet."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"130","DOI":"10.12965\/jer.1734968.484","article-title":"Treadmill exercise ameliorates depressive symptoms through increasing serotonin expression in postpartum depression rats","volume":"13","author":"Ji","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Exerc. Rehabil."},{"key":"ref_39","first-page":"274","article-title":"Plasma concentrations of neurotransmitters and postpartum depression","volume":"43","author":"Xie","year":"2018","journal-title":"Cent. South Univ. Med Sci."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.1016\/j.physbeh.2017.11.004","article-title":"An early experience of mild adversity involving temporary denial of maternal contact affects the serotonergic system of adult male rats and leads to a depressive-like phenotype and inability to adapt to a chronic social stress","volume":"184","author":"Diamantopoulou","year":"2018","journal-title":"Physiol. Behav."},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"78","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ejphar.2018.01.017","article-title":"Chrysin reverses the depressive-like behavior induced by hypothyroidism in female mice by regulating hippocampal serotonin and dopamine","volume":"822","author":"Bortolotto","year":"2018","journal-title":"Eur. J. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"223","DOI":"10.1016\/j.psyneuen.2017.10.021","article-title":"Paroxetine blunts the corticosterone response to swim-induced stress and increases depressive-like behavior in a rat model of postpartum depression","volume":"89","author":"Overgaard","year":"2018","journal-title":"Psychoneuroendocrinology"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"473","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajp.2013.05.007","article-title":"Homocysteine and serotonin: Association with postpartum depression","volume":"6","author":"Aishwarya","year":"2013","journal-title":"Asian J. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"37","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jnutbio.2018.05.002","article-title":"Fish oil ameliorates sickness behavior induced by lipopolysaccharide in aged mice through the modulation of kynurenine pathway","volume":"58","author":"Souza","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Nutr. Biochem."}],"container-title":["Brain Sciences"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3425\/10\/10\/733\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T10:20:44Z","timestamp":1760178044000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-3425\/10\/10\/733"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,13]]},"references-count":44,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2020,10]]}},"alternative-id":["brainsci10100733"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/brainsci10100733","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-3425"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-3425","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2020,10,13]]}}}