Several hypotheses have been put forward to explain the causes of depression. One of them being the so-called zinc dyshomeostasis hypothesis. Both clinical and preclinical studies show unequivocally that dietary zinc deficiency is a risk factor for depression. The increasing numbers of clinical reports in this area clearly indicate that reduced serum zinc level may be a marker of depressive disorders. Zinc supplementation has also been shown to positively reverse the symptoms of depression. The results described so far in the literature point to the antidepressant effects of zinc but they do not fully explain the molecular basis of the observed changes. Therefore, the aim of this project was to unravel the molecular mechanisms surrounding the
