ArticleBMC neuroscience2020
Folic acid ameliorates depression-like behaviour in a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress.
Article in BMC neuroscience, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 24 papers.
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Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 41 citations in OpenAlex.
- Review
- Repurposing Leucovorin for Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Evidence from Biochemical and Behavioral Outcomes in Rats.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Natural Molecules for Brain Health and Resilience.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Inflammatory models of depression in rodents and humans.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Review
- A Comprehensive Review of Fortification, Bioavailability, and Health Benefits of Folate.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025Review
- Unraveling the nutritional challenges in epilepsy: Risks, deficiencies, and management strategies: A systematic review.World journal of experimental medicine · 2025Article
- Folate from probiotic bacteria and its therapeutic applications.Archives of microbiology · 2025Review
- Evaluating the association of depressive symptoms on serum folate and erythrocyte folate levels based on the 2017-2020 NHANES database.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Article
- The Role of Water-Soluble Vitamins and Vitamin D in Prevention and Treatment of Depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder in Adults.Nutrients · 2024Review
- Folate supplementation as a beneficial add-on treatment in relieving depressive symptoms: A meta-analysis of meta-analyses.Food science & nutrition · 2024Review
- Genome-wide interaction analysis of folate for colorectal cancer risk.The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2023Article
- Article
- Antidepressant-like Effects of Representative Types of Food and Their Possible Mechanisms.Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- Homocysteine Modulates Social Isolation-Induced Depressive-Like Behaviors Through BDNF in Aged Mice.Molecular neurobiology · 2023Article
- Folate Deficiency Increased Microglial Amyloid-β Phagocytosis via the RAGE Receptor in Chronic Unpredictable Mild-Stress Rat and BV2 Cells.Nutrients · 2023Article
- Common Variants in One-Carbon Metabolism Genes (International journal of molecular sciences · 2023Article
- Article
- BDNF as a Mediator of Antidepressant Response: Recent Advances and Lifestyle Interactions.International journal of molecular sciences · 2022Review
- Homocysteine-Induced Disturbances in DNA Methylation Contribute to Development of Stress-Associated Cognitive Decline in Rats.Neuroscience bulletin · 2022Article
- Depression and Pain: Use of Antidepressants.Current neuropharmacology · 2022Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDepression is characterized by significant and low mood. Classical antidepressants are still not adequate in treating depression because of undesirable side effects. Folic acid, a member of the vitamin B complex, in considered to be strongly associated with the function and development of the central nervous system. Thus, in this study, we established a model of depression through chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) in rats and assessed the antidepressant effects and mechanisms of folic acid.
methodsSprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups: control, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), CUMS treated with folic acid, and CUMS treated with citalopram. Rats were assessed in terms of weight change, open-field test and sucrose preference. Homocysteine, monoamine neurotransmitters, interleukin-6, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), β-endorphin levels in the serum and brains of rats were analysed.
resultsFolic acid exhibited antidepressant-like effects in open-field and sucrose preference tests. Folic acid treatment effectively increased the levels of monoamine neurotransmitters, BDNF and β-endorphin, interleukin-6 and homocysteine levels were also significantly suppressed by folic acid administration.
conclusionsThese findings serve as preclinical evidence that folic acid plays an antidepressant-like role in several pathways involving monoamine neurotransmitters. Thus, folic acid may be used as a potential antidepressant.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.