Obesity

…how autism, chronic stress, and obesity intersect in autistic adolescents and young adults. Emily Hotez and Josie Rose use this NIH-funded study to explain principles and practical approaches for biomedical research that incorporates neurodivergent perspectives. Their discussion includes gathering feedback from autistic participants and integrating those perspectives into study design and implementation to improve accessibility and inclusion. The presentation connects these approaches with research on the health and well-being of a

…large biobanks and examples including obesity. Gene regulation and environmentally influenced epigenetic changes provide possible molecular mechanisms.

This seminar examines genetic contributions to obesity and type 2 diabetes alongside their major health consequences. It challenges explanations based solely on personal behaviour and discusses how genetic studies can inform individualised care. The presentation also considers the discovery of treatment targets through research on disease-associated variants.

The escalating global obesity epidemic underscores the need to understand its intricate health implications. Research highlights associations between elevated body mass index (BMI) and structural changes in both white and gray matter (WM, GM). Given the indirect nature of BMI as an indicator of adiposity, a comprehensive evaluation of body composition becomes essential. This study explores distinct adipose tissue compartments, adipokine levels, and their interplay with structural alterations in both WM and GM, elucidating the complex relationship between obesity, brain structure, and metabolic

Recently, a central role of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) in pathogenesis of obesity has been proposed. As BChE was shown to inactivate a hunger hormone, ghrelin, it has been suggested to control appetite and glucose metabolism by regulating ghrelin signaling in hypothalamus. The aim of our study was therefore to investigate the relationship between obesity induced by high-fat/high-fructose diet and BChE activity. We studied impact of the diet-induced obesity on serum BChE and vise-versa an effect of BChE inhibition on obesity development. Adults male Wistar rats were fed with standard or high-

…of metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes. The compound has anti-inflammatory properties and has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism. Its weight loss properties are attributed to an improvement in leptin sensitivity, most likely by targeting neural circuits in the hypothalamus that control food intake and appetite. Despite extensive research, the precise mechanism of action remains elusive. In this study, w

Obesity has emerged as a prominent global health concern in recent times, a phenomenon often attributed to the excessive consumption of highly palatable, calorie-rich foods laden with sugar and fat. These diets can modulate certain neural pathways, such as the mesolimbic dopaminergic system of reward, but their potential addictive properties are still unknown although its effects have been widely studied. Additionally, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive component of cannabis sativa, has been found to have an important orexigenic role and modulating properties over the reward

Binge eating disorder (BED) and obesity are complex diseases characterized by maladaptive feeding behaviors, particularly towards palatable foods. The mesocorticolimbic dopamine system, also known as the "reward system," plays a crucial role in hedonic food intake and is implicated in both disorders. The endocannabinoid system (ECS), present in the reward system, regulates feeding behaviors but its involvement in BED and obesity is not fully elucidated. Recent research suggests its significant role in feeding behaviors, especially in addictive-like eating behaviors, prompting the hypothesis of

…be mainly responsible for modern age obesity. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a major signal of reaching energy balance and satiety, having a major role in normal FI behaviour.We investigated the effects of the GLP-1 agonist exenatide on palatability-driven feeding regulation in adult male rhesus macaques (n=5) using a novel operant FI paradigm. In each session, one of two available food pellets with different palatability values was offered as meal in all combinations with two daily feeding

Obesity, a multifaceted condition influenced by various environmental factors, represents a critical public health challenge. Among these factors, dietary choices and exposure to metabolic disrupting compounds (MDCs) play pivotal roles in shaping adipose tissue (AT) functions and its crosstalk with different organs, including the brain. The present collaborative research is integral to the HEAL ITALIA Project (Health Extended Alliance for Innovative Therapies, Advanced Lab-research, and Integrated Approaches of Precision Medicine). Our main objectives are twofold: i) to investigate the impact

…Likewise, diabetes and obesity, two metabolic illnesses, are risk factors for AD. These two diseases are associated with an expansion of visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Here, we hypothesize that the visceral adipose tissue may serve as a key communicator organ between the brain and peripheral metabolic disorders and affecting both types of disorders.We used histological s

Obesity is a multifactorial disease, where the major factor involved is the consumption of high-fat, high-palatability food. The prevalence of this disease has increased in all age groups, but the increase in children and youth is alarming. Food intake is controlled by brain areas involved in homeostatic and hedonic control, both systems being regulated by the GABAergic nucleus, lateral septum (LS). The LS neurons are regulated by several membrane receptors, where the regulation of food intake in an obese condition by μ-opioid receptor (MOR) has not been previously studied.This work aimed to e

Increasing evidence have highlighted significant sex-related differences in animal physiology and behavior, both in health and disease. Despite that, most neuroscience research involving animal models is still conducted using males only. Estrogen (E2) is known to have a protective role in females, mainly by preventing inflammation, however, when hormone levels decline, females become more prone than males to metabolic, cardiovascular and psychiatric diseases. Thanks to our established conditional knockout mouse model (Npy1rrfb mice), in which the gene encoding for the main NPY receptor Y1 is s

…suffering MDD is higher in people with obesity and metabolic dysregulation. We will evaluate the effect of a high-fat diet (HFD) and the impact of gender on behavioural, neurochemical and molecular markers associated with depression/anxiety.Male and female C57BL/6 mice, 6-weeks old, were given a 7-week HFD (60% fat). The behavioural tests performed were: open field test (OFT), novelty-suppressed feeding (NSF) test, sucrose preference test (SPT), and tail susp

High-fat diet (HFD) and obesity are associated with cognitive dysfunction, depression, and increased anxiety, impacting emotional and social behavior. Additionally, HFD affects the immune system, leading to low-level chronic inflammation involving microglia, the brain’s resident immune cells. Inhibiting microglia alters social behavior, and improves HFD-induced metabolic effects. Hence, this raises the question of whether microglial cells mediate HFD-dependent changes in behavioral outcomes.To investigate the effect of HFD-driven microglial activation on neuronal function, HFD adult CX3CR1GFP/

Metabolic disorders like diabetes and obesity markedly elevate the risk of neurodegenerative diseases. While certain medications used to manage these conditions show neuroprotective potential, their exact mechanisms of action remain elusive. Here, we propose the utilization of brain histology in a mouse prion model as an effective approach for drug screening in dementia and for exploring the cellular mechanisms of neuroprotection offered by anti-diabetic drugs. Our primary objective was to establish the morphological criteria for brain pathology in prion-infected mice. To achieve this, C57BL/6

…insulin resistance, are a hallmark of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Traditionally, the brain was thought to be insensitive to insulin, but our findings show that non-neuronal cells, specifically astrocytes located at the interface of neurons and blood vessels, sense and respond to insulin, thereby influencing systemic glucose control. Intrigued by these discoveries and recognising the potential of targeting these cells to

Obesity, a widespread health issue, accompanied by various metabolism-related disabilities, has emerged as a significant public health challenge. Primary intervention for obesity involves lifestyle changes, including dietary treatments. The ketogenic diet (KD) is increasingly recognized as a potential remedy for obesity, with its efficacy attributed to appetite suppression in the hypothalamus.The study aimed to evaluate how the metabolic changes in hypothalamus, associated with obesity affect the mechanisms responsible for appetite regulation during KD treatment.Adult male mice were subjected

Obesity and excessive consumption of saturated fats represent important predisposing factors to the development of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its neuropsychiatric comorbidities. Alteration of amyloid β (Aβ) homeostasis is considered the main neuropathological feature of AD and increased levels of the oligomeric forms of this peptide have been associated with increased risk of depressive states. The exposure to obesogenic environment, such as high fat diet (HFD), seems to impair Aβ catabolic function leading to the production of its neurotoxic species. In t

Overconsumption of ultra-processed food and sedentary lifestyle are the main causes of obesity, which in turn, increases the risk of developing metabolic, cardiovascular, and psychiatric diseases. Loss of control over food intake and binge eating often worsen as obesity progresses. Many studies have shown the effect of obesity on gut-microbiota composition and inflammation. However, less is known about microbiota and central adaptations occurring during the initial phases of body weight gain. To address this question, we used a rat model of binge eating, in which, rats (C/P) were fed twice a w

Obesity is a major risk factor for metabolic and neuropsychiatric disorders. High-fat diets have been shown to trigger systemic and central inflammation, particularly in the hypothalamus. The lingual CD36 receptor plays a crucial role in oro-gustatory perception and is downregulated in individuals with obesity. NKS-3, a non-caloric high affinity CD36 agonist, exerts systemic anti-inflammatory effects by reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines; however, its potential impact on neuroinflammation is not known. C57BL/6 male mice were fed with either a high-fat (HFD) or a standard (STD) diet for 12 wee

In obesity, disruption of gut-brain communication has been associated with overeating, body weight gain, and metabolism disorders. Vagal sensory neurons (VSN) relay nutrient-related signals from the gut to the brain, but how distinct, gut-innervating VSN subtypes are affected by obesity remains unclear. We employed an intersectional genetic approach to investigate obesity-induced functional changes in molecularly defined VSN subtypes that innervate the stomach and small intestine. We demonstrate that overexpression of the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (Socs3), a crucial regulator of lepti

Obesity is driven and maintained by dysregulation of appetite. Especially nowadays, with rich availability of palatable processed food, overeating promotes weight gain through unbalancing energy expenditure and intake. Lifestyle interventions are foundation of obesity management; however, the long-term maintenance is challenging. Thus, understanding the neural mechanism underlying compulsive overeating is urgent for better weight control. Dopamine system and hypothalamus are highly involved in obesity, proved by fMRI in patients. In mice, our lab discovered that a specific subset of nucleus ac

Obesity and metabolic disorders are linked with neurodegenerative diseases through persistent peripheral inflammation caused by metabolic alterations, which underlies chronic neuroinflammation. Pleiotrophin (PTN) is a cytokine that regulates neuroinflammation and metabolism in different contexts. Thus, our study aimed to determine the role of PTN in the brain-periphery crosstalk in a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity model. Three-month-old C57BL/6J wild-type (Ptn+/+) and Ptn genetically deficient (Ptn−/−) mice were fed with standard chow diet or HFD (60% kcal fat) for 6 months. HFD-Ptn−/− mi