Lycopene, a plant-derived compound found in tomatoes and other red fruits, is showing promise as a natural antidepressant.
Researchers found that lycopene enhances BDNF expression, a key protein involved in brain health, which appears to be suppressed in depression.
Lycopene’s Potential as an Antidepressant
Lycopene, a natural compound found in plants, may have antidepressant effects, according to emerging research. A new study published on January 22 in Food Science & Nutrition explores how lycopene influences brain function to counteract symptoms of depression.
In mice displaying depression-like behaviors, researchers observed impairments in the hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory and mood regulation. Treatment with lycopene reduced these impairments and improved the animals’ behavior.
Boosting Brain Function with BDNF
Further analysis revealed that lycopene increased levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein essential for brain function, learning, and memory. The study found that in mice with depression, a key signaling pathway involving BDNF (known as the BDNF-TrkB pathway) was suppressed. Lycopene treatment helped restore this pathway, potentially improving neural communication and brain health.
The study “offers an effective avenue for the development of novel antidepressant therapies,” the authors wrote. “We plan to conduct further verification in future studies and include multiple brain regions in our research.”
Reference: “Lycopene Alleviates Depression-Like Behavior in Chronic Social Defeat Stress-Induced Mice by Promoting Synaptic Plasticity via the BDNF–TrkB Pathway” by Heyan Xu, Yuna Wang, Dandan Geng, Fengming Chen, Yujia Chen, Lisa Cynthia Niwenahisemo, Lei Shi, Ning Du, Ziqiang He, Xiaoming Xu and Li Kuang, 22 January 2025, Food Science & Nutrition.
DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.70003
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