Early lifetime zinc supplementation protects zinc-deficient diet-induced alterations

Preclinical and clinical data indicate the involvement of zinc in the pathophysiology and therapy of depression. A relationship between zinc-deficiency and depression symptoms was recently proposed. The present study investigated alterations in spontaneous locomotor activity and zinc concentrations in the serum, hippocampus and frontal cortex; these alterations were induced by subjecting rats to a zinc-deficient diet, prior subjected after birth to zinc-supplemented diet. Body weight was significantly reduced in animals subjected to the four-week zinc-deficient diet compared to those subjected to the zinc-adequate diet. The two-week zinc-deficient diet induced a significant increase in locomotor activity in all measured time periods (5, 30 and 60 min by 44–62%). The four-week zinc-deficient diet did not affect locomotor activity, while the six-week zinc-deficient diet resulted in a 45% increase in the 5 min time period. Serum zinc concentrations were significantly reduced (by 29%) in animals subjected to the four-week zinc-deficient diet but not in those subjected to the two- or six-week zinc-deficient diets. The zinc-deficient diet did not influence the zinc concentration in the examined brain regions regardless of the length. These results indicate that post-birth supplementation with zinc may protect zinc-deficient diet-induced rapid alterations in zinc homeostasis.