This study aimed to investigate the effect of the angiotensin II type I receptor blocker (AT1RB), valsartan, on menopause‐induced depression and anxiety‐like behaviors, and to elucidate possible mechanisms of action by measuring levels of nod‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), interleukin‐1beta (IL‐1β), brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and oxidative stress in brain tissue. This evidence concerns the gene BDNF and major depressive disorder.