Sex-specific role of high-fat diet and stress on behavior, energy metabolism, and the ventromedial hypothalamus.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Scientific evidence highlights the influence of biological sex on the relationship between stress and metabolic dysfunctions. However, there is limited understanding of how diet and stress concurrently contribute to metabolic dysregulation in both males and females. Our study aimed to investigate the combined effects of high-fat diet (HFD) induced obesity and repeated stress on fear-related behaviors, metabolic, immune, and hypothalamic outcomes in male and female mice.

Methods

To investigate this, we used a highly reliable rodent behavioral model that faithfully recapitulates key aspects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)-like fear. We subjected mice to footshock stressor followed by a weekly singular footshock stressor or no stressor for 14 weeks while on

SUBMITTER: Shetty S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11247790 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature