High-Fat Diet Alters Behavior and Hippocampal Gene Expression.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Dietary Science
• Genetics

Background:

• High-fat diets (HFD) are associated with altered gene expression and behavioral changes.
• Understanding the influence of sex and genetic background is crucial for diet-related health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of a HFD on behavior and hippocampal gene expression.
• To evaluate sex and genetic differences in response to HFD in mice.

Main Methods:

• Male and female C57BL/6J (B6J) and DBA/2J (D2J) mice were fed a control or HFD for 16 weeks.
• Behavioral tests included open field, nestlet shredding, and novel object recognition.
• mRNA expression of alpha synuclein (αSYN), amyloid precursor protein (APP), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was measured.

Main Results:

• HFD reduced nestlet shredding in male B6J mice and increased fecal boli in HFD male B6Js.
• No significant memory differences were observed.
• Significant diet-sex-strain interactions for αSYN and APP mRNA; HFD upregulated αSYN (7-fold) and APP (10-fold) in male B6J hippocampi.
• BDNF expression showed strain-sex interactions but no diet effect.

Conclusions:

• HFD significantly impacts male B6J mice's behavior and hippocampal gene expression.
• Biological sex and genetic background are critical factors in diet-induced brain changes.
• Dietary interventions should consider individual genetic and sex-specific responses.