Scheme 1.

Experimental paradigm. Rats were subjected to bilateral olfactory bulbectomy, and sham-operated rats were similarly treated but with bulbs left intact. Rats were then fed a zinc adequate diet (ZnA, 50 mg Zn/kg) or a zinc-deficient diet (ZnD, 3 mg Zn/kg). At the beginning of the fourth-week of diet, animals were subjected to the treatment for 21 days and were further used for the behavioral tests or biochemical analysis. OB: olfactory bulbectomy model, Sham: operated rats with bulbs left intact, Esc: Escitalopram, Ven: Venlafaxine, OFT: open field test, FST: forced swim tests, SIT: sucrose intake test.