Blueberry extract as a potential pharmacological tool for preventing depressive-like behavior and neurochemical dysfunctions in mice exposed to lipopolysaccharide.

Major depressive disorder is a debilitating and recurrent psychiatric disorder. Blueberries have several biological properties, including neuroprotective effects, through antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of blueberry extract on depressive-like behavior and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced neurochemical changes. Mice were pretreated with vehicle, fluoxetine (20 mg/kg) or blueberry extract (100 or 200 mg/kg) intragastrically for seven days before intraperitoneal LPS (0.83 mg/kg) injection. Twenty-four hours after LPS administration, mice were submitted to behavioral tests. Oxidative stress and neuroinflammatory parameters were evaluated in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. Our data showed that blueberry extract or fluoxetine treatment protected against LPS-induced depressive-like behavior in tail suspension and splash tests ( This study showed that blueberry extract exerted antidepressant-like effects, protected the brain against oxidative damage, and modulated TNF-α levels induced by LPS.