A Sex-Dependent Neurochemical Endophenotype Underlies Behavioral Alterations Induced by High-Fat Diet in Mice
Presenter(s)
John Richard Coffey, Patrick Robert Flaherty, Ben Klocke, Sean Anthony Koeller, Madison C. Schulze, Connor F. Thelen
Files
Description
Obesity is one of the most prevalent diseases, with a prevalence of over 42% according to the CDC. It is also known that obesity is associated with an increased risk for depression, however the precise mechanisms linking these disorders remain elusive. Further, depression is known to manifest itself differently in the two sexes. Unfortunately, preclinical research on the neurobiology of depression is conducted primarily in male rodents. Thus, understanding the sex-dependent mechanisms of obesity-induced depression is a critical understudied area of research. In the context of the current project, we investigated the sex-dependent response of mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity. Our results show that male and female mice fed a HFD exhibit distinct depressive-like behavioral profiles. Moreover, sex-dependent neuromolecular mechanisms possibly underlie this response, as assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and western blotting. Interestingly, we found that the glutamatergic and serotonergic systems are differentially altered in key brain regions known to be affected in major depression. These data suggest a sex-dependent depressive-like behavioral phenotype is established in obese mice, and that this response is due to sex-differentiated neurochemical endophenotypes. Overall, these data are critically important in understanding the sex-dependent mechanisms of obesity-induced depression in males and females.
Publication Date
4-22-2020
Project Designation
Independent Research
Primary Advisor
Pothitos Pitychoutis
Primary Advisor's Department
Biology
Keywords
Stander Symposium project, College of Arts and Sciences
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Good Health and Well-Being
Recommended Citation
"A Sex-Dependent Neurochemical Endophenotype Underlies Behavioral Alterations Induced by High-Fat Diet in Mice" (2020). Stander Symposium Projects. 1864.
https://ecommons.udayton.edu/stander_posters/1864
