In this study, we assumed that treating animals with an antidepressant agents or voluntary running wheel exercise (RW) during adolescence may have beneficial outcomes against early life stress (ELS) which could be effective on behavior and mitochondrial function. Evidence indicated that ELS has deleterious impacts on brain and increases the risk of brain disorders such as depression. Maternal separation stress (MS) model to male rats (postnatal day or PND2-PND14) were performed to determination of depressive-like behaviors using the forced swimming test, splash test, and mitochondrial function in the hippocampus. Treating MS rats with both RW and fluoxetine (5 mg/kg/day, i.p) during adolescence (PND30-PND60) produced antidepressant-like effects in animals and attenuated the negative effects of ELS on hippocampal mitochondrial function in adult male rats. The results of the present study showed that (none) pharmacological treatments during adolescence are able to produce therapeutic effects against adverse effects of ELS on behavior and mitochondrial performance. These results showed the importance of adolescence as an important period of life and the long-lasting effects of ELS on hippocampal mitochondrial function which can suggest the possible contribution of abnormal mitochondrial function in pathogenesis of depression following experiencing ELS.
Keywords: Adolescence; Depression; Early life stress; Fluoxetine; Mitochondria; Voluntary running wheel exercise.