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Published on: May 10, 2015
Dental noise exposed mice display depressive-like phenotypes
Yujie Dong1, Ying Zhou1, Xixia Chu1
1Bio-X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Development and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders, and Brain Science and Technology Research Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai, 200240, China.
Dental noise exposure in mice induced depression-like behaviors and impaired neurogenesis. Antidepressant treatment with fluoxetine reversed these effects, suggesting dental noise as a stressor for depression.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Environmental Health
Background:
- Dentists frequently experience depressive disorders.
- Professional stressors in dentistry are numerous.
- Dental environment noises are perceived as unpleasant and may contribute to stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the hypothesis that dental noise is a primary stressor for depressive disorders in dentists.
- To establish and utilize a mouse model for studying the effects of dental noise.
Main Methods:
- C57BL/6 mice were exposed to wide-spectrum dental noise (75±10 dB SPL) for 8 hours daily over 30 days.
- Behavioral tests were conducted post-exposure to assess depressive-like phenotypes.
- Neurogenesis in the hippocampus was examined.
- Effects of fluoxetine administration were evaluated.
Main Results:
- Mice exposed to dental noise exhibited depressive-like behaviors.
- Inhibition of neurogenesis in the hippocampus was observed in noise-exposed mice.
- Oral administration of fluoxetine ameliorated the depressive-like phenotypes and neurogenesis deficits.
Conclusions:
- Dental noise exposure can induce depressive-like phenotypes and neurogenesis inhibition.
- The developed dental noise mouse model is suitable for further depression research.
- Findings suggest dental noise as a potential stressor contributing to the pathogenesis of depressive disorders.

