Caffeic acid attenuates the decrease in cortical BDNF mRNA expression induced by exposure to forced swimming stress in mice.

We previously reported that caffeic acid produces antidepressive-like effects in the forced swimming test in mice, an animal model of depression. Increased evidence suggests that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin family that has high affinity for the tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB), plays an important role in the pathophysiology and treatment of depression. The present study examined whether caffeic acid affects the expression levels of BDNF and TrkB mRNA in brain regions of mice subjected to a forced swimming test.