The pCREB/BDNF Pathway in the Hippocampus Is Involved in the Therapeutic Effect of Selective 5-HT Reuptake Inhibitors in Adult Male Rats Exposed to Blast Traumatic Brain Injury

Background: Blast traumatic brain injury (bTBI) can result in depression-like behaviors in the acute and chronic phases. SSRIs have been shown to significantly alleviate depression-like behaviors in animal models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) by increasing serotonin (5-HT) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampus. However, the therapeutic effects of SSRIs on depression caused by bTBI remain unclear.

Objective: Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating the therapeutic effects of SSRIs on depression-like behaviors in bTBI models.

Methods: We created a rat model to study mild TBI by subjecting rats to increased blast overpressures (BOP) and injecting fluoxetine and escitalopram SSRIs intraperitoneally for 28 days.

Results: On day 14 post-BOP exposure, rats treated with SSRIs showed decreased depression-like behaviors. This finding was accompanied by higher 5-HT levels in the hippocampus and increased numbers of Nestin-positive cells in the dentate gyrus. Furthermore, rats treated with SSRIs exhibited increased pCREB and BDNF protein expression in the hippocampus on days 7, 14, and 28 after bTBI.

Conclusions: Overall, our findings indicate that SSRI-induced recovery from depression-like behaviors after mild bTBI is associated with the upregulation of 5-HT levels, pCREB and BDNF expression, and neurogenesis in the hippocampus.

5-HT reuptake inhibitors; blast traumatic brain injury; brain-derived neurotrophic factor; depressive-like behaviors.