Low folate induces abnormal neuronal maturation and DNA hypomethylation of neuronal differentiation-related genes in cultured mouse neural stem and progenitor cells.

Folate deficiency in a fetus is well known to cause neurodevelopment defects and development disorders. A low level of folate is also thought to be a risk for depression in adults. We have previously shown that post-weaning low folate induces neuronal immaturity in the dentate gyrus in mice, which suggests that low folate causes neuropsychological disorders via inhibition of neuronal maturation.

Post-weaning folate deficiency induces a depression-like state via neuronal immaturity of the dentate gyrus in mice.

Folate deficiency has been suggested as a risk factor for depression in preclinical and clinical studies. Several hypotheses of mechanisms underlying folate deficiency-induced depressive symptoms have been proposed, but the detailed mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we assessed whether post-weaning folate deficiency affect neurological and psychological function.