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Low-frequency passive mechanical stimulation produces antidepressant-like effects in rats involving gut–brain axis modulation

Overview

Authors: Rong Gao1,2, Wenjing Pu1,2, Yifei Lv1,2, Liqiong Liu1, Yan Zhao3, Hao Liu4, Li Chen1,2, Nan Guan5, Hongen Li1,2
  1. School of Basic Medicine, Gansu Medical College, Pingliang, China
  2. Key Laboratory of Microbial Cohort and Multi-omics Research in Gansu Province, Gansu Medical College, Pingliang, China
  3. Pingliang Mental Health Center, Pingliang, China
  4. School of Clinical Medicine, Gansu Medical College, Pingliang, China
  5. Affiliated Hospital of Gansu Medical College, Pingliang, China
Journal: Frontiers in immunology, volume 17, article 1928978
Dates: received 5 July 2026; accepted 28 September 2026; published online 12 October 2026
Type: Research article · Language: English
License: CC BY
Identifiers: DOI · PMCID PMC13696317
Status: data only (how the code is found and verified)
Categories: genetics / omics (modality), rat (organism), depression (population)
Methods: Statistics, Smoothing, state filtering, decompositions, Machine learning, Connectivity
Keywords: CUMS, depression, gut microbiota, metabolome, passive vertical oscillation
Citations: not cited yet (Europe PMC); 46 references in the paper

Abstract

Introduction: Depression is associated with dysregulation of neuroendocrine, immune, and gut -brain axis pathways. Exercise is an effective non-pharmacological intervention; however, poor motivation and fatigue limit adherence in patients with depression.

Methods: We investigated a novel passive exercise modality, low-frequency passive vertical oscillation assisted by elastic ropes (LF-PVO-ER), in a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rat model.

Results: LF-PVO-ER significantly improved depressive-like behaviors, including anhedonia and behavioral despair. Alongside these behavioral improvements, increases were observed in serum serotonin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), along with reductions in serum corticosterone, inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Histological analysis revealed attenuation of hippocampal and colonic injury. 16S rRNA sequencing showed partial restoration of CUMS-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, as reflected by increased diversity and enrichment of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-associated genera. Untargeted metabolomics revealed changes in amino acid, lipid, and bile acid metabolism. Integrated analyses indicated coordinated associations among gut microbiota, metabolites, and neuroimmune markers.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that LF-PVO-ER may exert antidepressant-like effects through multiple pathways involving neuroendocrine function, inflammatory responses, and gut microbiota -metabolite interactions, supporting its potential as a passive exercise strategy for depression intervention.

Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.

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Data

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Data availability statement

The data presented in the study are deposited in the NCBI repository, BioProject accession number PRJNA1538061 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/bioproject/1538061). The corresponding BioSample accession numbers are SAMN63808692 -SAMN63808709.

Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.

Versions

The history of this record: each version stored by the harvester or made by a correction of its authors or of the maintainers of its code, and what changed in its facts. The texts of the paper (its abstract, its availability statements) are not part of it; versions that changed only those are not listed.

Version 1, 27 October 2026: the first record

Recorded: type, language, journal, volume, pages, dates, 9 authors, 5 keywords, 44 references.

Cite

This paper

Gao, R., Pu, W., Lv, Y., Liu, L., Zhao, Y., Liu, H., Chen, L., Guan, N., & Li, H. (2026). Low-frequency passive mechanical stimulation produces antidepressant-like effects in rats involving gut–brain axis modulation. Frontiers in immunology, 17, 1928978.

BibTeX

@article{gao2026low,
author = {Gao, Rong and Pu, Wenjing and Lv, Yifei and Liu, Liqiong and Zhao, Yan and Liu, Hao and Chen, Li and Guan, Nan and Li, Hongen},
title = {{Low-frequency passive mechanical stimulation produces antidepressant-like effects in rats involving gut–brain axis modulation}},
journal = {Frontiers in immunology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
volume = {17},
pages = {1928978},
publisher = {Frontiers Media SA},
issn = {1664-3224},
pmcid = {PMC13696317}
}

RIS

TY - JOUR
AU - Gao, Rong
AU - Pu, Wenjing
AU - Lv, Yifei
AU - Liu, Liqiong
AU - Zhao, Yan
AU - Liu, Hao
AU - Chen, Li
AU - Guan, Nan
AU - Li, Hongen
TI - Low-frequency passive mechanical stimulation produces antidepressant-like effects in rats involving gut–brain axis modulation
T2 - Frontiers in immunology
J2 - Front Immunol
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/27
VL - 17
SP - 1928978
SN - 1664-3224
PB - Frontiers Media SA
LA - en
ER -

CSL-JSON

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"language": "en",
"issued": {
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