Binge alcohol consumption exacerbates high-fat diet-induced neurobehavioral anomalies: Possible underlying mechanisms

The current study aimed to validate the mice model of alcohol (ALC), high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD + ALC combination affecting neurobehavioral and neurochemical anomalies via inflammatory cascade, lowered neurogenesis, enhanced microgliosis, reactive astrogliosis, activated IDO-1 (indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase), and reduce CHAT (choline acetyltransferase) signaling in the hippocampus (HIP). The adult male Swiss albino mice were provided with ALC (3-15%) and in-house prepared HFD for continuous 12 weeks. The HFD and HFD + ALC consumption impacted the liver and mediated HIP damage. The liver biomarkers (AST, ALT, γ-GT, TG, HDL-C, and LDL-C), oxidative stress, and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) level were found significantly higher in the liver and HIP tissue of HFD + ALC. Furthermore, the neurobehavioral deficits that include cognitive dysfunction, depressive, and, anxiety-like behavior were found severely affected in HFD + ALC consumed mice. The overactivated HPA axis, intense oxidative insults, and increased AChE activity were seen in the HIP of HFD + ALC grouped mice. The gene and protein expression also confirmed disrupted NF-κB-mediated inflammatory and Nrf2-regulated antioxidant balance and dysregulated TrκB/BDNF signaling. Hence, our new findings explain the insight mechanism of chronic alcoholism in exacerbating the deleterious effect of chronic high-fat diet consumption on the HIP.