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Milk fat globule membrane ameliorates depressive-like behaviors in chronic unpredictable mild stress rats by

Li Huang1, Yunqin Zheng1, Qianfeng Liu1

  • 1Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China.

Bioscience of Microbiota, Food and Health
|January 6, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) alleviates depression-like behaviors in rats by modulating the gut microbiota and increasing beneficial metabolites. This suggests MFGM

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Gastroenterology
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • The gut-brain axis plays a crucial role in depression pathogenesis.
  • Microbiota imbalances are linked to psychiatric disorders.
  • Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) influences gut health and brain function.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate MFGM's efficacy in ameliorating depression-like behaviors induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS).
  • To elucidate the underlying mechanisms involving gut microbiota modulation and metabolite production.

Main Methods:

  • Rats subjected to CUMS were fed an MFGM diet for 5 weeks.
  • Assessment of depressive behaviors, neurotransmitters, hormones, gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and tight junction proteins (occludin, ZO-1).
  • Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) experiment to confirm microbial transfer effects.

Main Results:

  • MFGM significantly alleviated depressive-like behaviors in CUMS rats.
  • MFGM improved intestinal barrier integrity by up-regulating occludin and ZO-1 expression.
  • MFGM modulated neurotransmitter levels (increased 5-HT, DA, norepinephrine) and decreased stress hormones.
  • MFGM treatment led to increased SCFAs and monoamine neurotransmitters in recipient rats via FMT.

Conclusions:

  • MFGM demonstrates antidepressant-like effects in a rat model of depression.
  • MFGM's benefits are associated with positive modulation of the gut microbiota, enhanced SCFA production, and normalized neurotransmitter levels.
  • MFGM represents a potential therapeutic or preventative strategy for depression by targeting the microbiota-gut-brain axis.
Keywords:
chronic unpredictable mild stressdepressionfecal microbiota transplantationmicrobiotamilk fat globule membrane

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