Sciatic Nerve Stimulation Mitigates Depression-Like Behaviors and Memory Deficits in Stressed Mice.

ABSTRACT: Stress causes depression and cognitive decline. With limitations in pharmacotherapy, sciatic nerve stimulation (SNS) offers a promising nondrug alternative. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic efficacy of SNS in mitigating stress-induced depressive behaviors and memory deficits by focusing on astrocytic dysfunction and cellular senescence in the hippocampus. C57BL/6 mice were subjected to the water immersion restraint stress (WIRS) paradigm to induce stress-related behavioral deficits. Behavioral tests assessed locomotion, anxiety, depression-like behavior, and memory. Astrocytic disruption and cellular senescence in the hippocampus were assessed using glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunostaining and senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) staining. SNS at 20 Hz s

SUBMITTER: Tien CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12782250 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature