Exercise ameliorates depression-like behavior and increases hippocampal BDNF level in ovariectomized rats.

The aims of the present study were to investigate whether exercise can improve the depression-like behavior caused by estrogen deficiency. Given that decreased level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in many brain areas including hippocampus and prefrontal cortex is associated with estrogen deficiency-induced depression-like behavior, we also determined whether exercise affects the levels of BDNF and its receptor in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC). It was found that ovariectomy (OVX) caused an increase in depression-like behavior in rats and a decrease in BDNF level in hippocampus but not in PFC.