DL-/PO-phosphatidylcholine restores restraint stress-induced depression-related behaviors and spatial memory impairment.

The present study investigated the effects of 1,2-dilinoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DL-PC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PO-PC) on depression-related behaviors and spatial memory impairment in mice subjected to restraint stress. The immobility time in forced-swim and tail-suspension tests for mice subjected to restraint stress was significantly longer than that for nonstressed control mice, and oral coadministration of DL-PC and PO-PC (DL-/PO-PC; DL-PC : PO-PC=1 : 1) shortened the prolonged immobility time in a dose (0.1-5 mg/kg)-dependent manner. In the water maze test, the retention latency for stressed mice was significantly longer than that for control mice and DL-/PO-PC (1 mg/kg, per os) reversed the prolonged latency to control levels. Phosphorylation of Akt and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) in the hypothalamus of stressed mice was significantly reduced compared with that for control mice, and DL-/PO-PC (1 mg/kg, per os) recovered the reduced phosphorylation of Akt and GSK-3β. The results of the present study indicate that DL-/PO-PC has the potential to ameliorate stress-induced depression-related behaviors and memory impairment, possibly by activating Akt and inhibiting GSK-3β.