Effect of Dingzhixiaowan on Neural Stem Cells of Dentate Gyrus and Learning Memory in Depression Model Rats

Objective:To observe the effect on dingzhixiaowan on the neural stem cells and learning and memory in depression model rats.Methods:40 female Wistar rats were divided into the normal control group,depression model group,saline group and dingzhixiaowan group.The ability of learning and memory were estimated with Morris water maze.Proliferation of neural stem cells was observed with immunohistochemical method.Results:Compared with the normal control group,the ability of learning and memory in the depression group and saline group decreased,and the number of Nestin-positive cells decreased; while the ability of learning and memory in dingzhixiaowan group did not change obviously,and the number of Nestin-positive cells increased obviously.Conclusions:dingzhixiaowan can maintain the ability of learning and memory in depression,and the mechanism is relative to its promoting the proliferation of neural stem cell in the hippocampal formation.