The model of litter size reduction induces long-term disruption of the gut-brain axis: An explanation for the hyperphagia of Wistar rats of both sexes.

ABSTRACT: The gut microbiota affects the host's metabolic phenotype, impacting health and disease. The gut-brain axis unites the intestine with the centers of hunger and satiety, affecting the eating behavior. Deregulation of this axis can lead to obesity onset. Litter size reduction is a well-studied model for infant obesity because it causes overnutrition and programs for obesity. We hypothesize that animals raised in small litters (SL) have altered circuitry between the intestine and brain, causing hyperphagia. We investigated vagus nerve activity, the expression of c-Fos, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), gastrointestinal (GI) hormone receptors, and content of bacterial phyla and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in the feces of adult male and female Wistar rats overfed during lactation. O

SUBMITTER: Rodrigues VST 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8831958 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature