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Swimming exercises affect maternal care and depression-related behaviors strain-dependently through gestational corticosterone and brain serotonin in postpartum dams
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Fereshte Ebrahimian   , Ali Akbar Salari |
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Abstract: (259 Views) |
Introduction: Pregnancy is a very complex and highly stressful time during which women become more physically and emotionally vulnerable. Therefore, mothers are more likely to face decreased self-esteem and increased postpartum depression. Despite the high prevalence of postpartum depression, more than half go undiagnosed or untreated, showing an urgent need to explore an effective preventive strategy. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and engaging in regular physical activity have been linked to improved quality of life for pregnant and postpartum women. The purpose of this study was to determine whether swimming exercises before and during pregnancy can affect maternal care and postpartum depression-related behaviors in dams.
Materials and Methods: Female NMRI and C57BL/6 J mice were subjected to swimming exercises before conception and throughout pregnancy. On postpartum days 1-2, maternal behavior including nest-building, active nursing, and licking/grooming were monitored. Several behavioral tests were also done to measure depression-related symptoms, including anhedonia- and anxiety-like behavior, social behavior, and behavioral despair. To identify the underlying mechanisms, corticosterone and inflammatory cytokines during late pregnancy, and corticosterone and brain serotonin during the postpartum period were measured in dams.
Results: The findings indicated that swimming exercises increased gestational corticosterone, all depression-related behaviors, and decreased maternal care and brain serotonin in postpartum C57BL/6 J dams, while only increased licking/ grooming and social behavior, and reduced anhedonia-like behavior in postpartum NMRI dams.
Conclusion: This study suggests that swimming exercises before and during pregnancy could alter maternal care and postpartum depression-like behavior in a strain-dependent manner.
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| Keywords: Swimming, Pregnancy, Serotonin |
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Full-Text [PDF 250 kb]
(40 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
General
Received: 2023/11/22 | Accepted: 2023/08/23 | Published: 2023/08/23
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