scholarly journals Role of Hypothalamic VGF in Energy Balance and Metabolic Adaption to Environmental Enrichment in Mice

Endocrinology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant D. Foglesong ◽  
Wei Huang ◽  
Xianglan Liu ◽  
Andrew M. Slater ◽  
Jason Siu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Environmental Enrichment ◽  
Core Body Temperature ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Melanocortin Receptor ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Bdnf Expression ◽  
Male Adult ◽  
Molecular Features

Abstract Environmental enrichment (EE), a housing condition providing complex physical, social, and cognitive stimulation, leads to improved metabolic health and resistance to diet-induced obesity and cancer. One underlying mechanism is the activation of the hypothalamic-sympathoneural-adipocyte axis with hypothalamic brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) as the key mediator. VGF, a peptide precursor particularly abundant in the hypothalamus, was up-regulated by EE. Overexpressing BDNF or acute injection of BDNF protein to the hypothalamus up-regulated VGF, whereas suppressing BDNF signaling down-regulated VGF expression. Moreover, hypothalamic VGF expression was regulated by leptin, melanocortin receptor agonist, and food deprivation mostly paralleled to BDNF expression. Recombinant adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transfer of Cre recombinase to floxed VGF mice specifically decreased VGF expression in the hypothalamus. In contrast to the lean and hypermetabolic phenotype of homozygous germline VGF knockout mice, specific knockdown of hypothalamic VGF in male adult mice led to increased adiposity, decreased core body temperature, reduced energy expenditure, and impaired glucose tolerance, as well as disturbance of molecular features of brown and white adipose tissues without effects on food intake. However, VGF knockdown failed to block the EE-induced BDNF up-regulation or decrease of adiposity indicating a minor role of VGF in the hypothalamic-sympathoneural-adipocyte axis. Taken together, our results suggest hypothalamic VGF responds to environmental demands and plays an important role in energy balance and glycemic control likely acting in the melanocortin pathway downstream of BDNF. (Endocrinology 157: 983-996, 2016)

Combination Therapy of Donepezil and Environmental Enrichment on Memory Deficits in Amyloid-Beta-Induced Alzheimer's Disease Rats

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamileh Gholami ◽  
Sajad Sahab Negah ◽  
Arezoo Rajabian ◽  
Vahid Hajali
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Combination Therapy ◽  
Spatial Memory ◽  
Amyloid Beta ◽  
Environmental Enrichment ◽  
Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor ◽  
Cognitive Stimulation ◽  
Spatial Learning And Memory ◽  
Bdnf Expression

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is progressive neurodegeneration known as the most common cause of dementia, and it is the sixth leading cause of death in older people. Given the promising data on the additive effect of combination therapy with donepezil (Aricept), an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI), and regarding the similar neuronal mechanisms through them donepezil and environmental enrichment (EE) exert their enhancing effects on cognition; we asked whether simultaneous treatment with two paradigms in amyloid-beta-induced AD rats may lead to greater cognitive improvements than either treatment individually. AD was induced by intrahippocampal injection of amyloid-beta (1-42, 6 µg), and donepezil was orally administrated (4 mg/kg) for 21 days. Environmental enrichment consisted of housing animals in large cages (50× 50× 50 cm) containing a running wheel and differently shaped objects for 21 days. Spatial learning and memory were assessed in the Morris water maze (MWM) and Real-time PCR was performed to assess the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (AchM1R) within the hippocampus. Spatial memory was impaired in AD animals, and while neither pretreatment with donepezil nor EE alone could significantly restore spatial memory scores in AD rats, combination therapy was effective. BDNF expression was suppressed in AD rats and pretreatment with donepezil plus EE could increase it to the saline levels. The data suggest that a cholinesterase inhibitor and cognitive stimulation can be used effectively in combination to improve cognitive loss in an AD rat model.

scholarly journals Regulation of Energy Balance via BDNF Expressed in Nonparaventricular Hypothalamic Neurons

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 494-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haili Yang ◽  
Juan Ji An ◽  
Chao Sun ◽  
Baoji Xu
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Energy Expenditure ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Ventromedial Hypothalamus ◽  
Mutant Mice ◽  
Bdnf Gene ◽  
Bdnf Expression ◽  
Hypothalamic Nuclei

Abstract Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expressed in the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH) has been shown to play a key role in regulating energy intake and energy expenditure. BDNF is also expressed in other hypothalamic nuclei; however, the role in the control of energy balance for BDNF produced in these structures remains largely unknown. We found that deleting the Bdnf gene in the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) during embryogenesis using the Sf1-Cre transgene had no effect on body weight in mice. In contrast, deleting the Bdnf gene in the adult VMH using Cre-expressing virus led to significant hyperphagia and obesity. These observations indicate that the lack of a hyperphagia phenotype in the Sf1-Cre/Bdnf mutant mice is likely due to developmental compensation. To investigate the role of BDNF expressed in other hypothalamic areas, we employed the hypothalamus-specific Nkx2.1-Cre transgene to delete the Bdnf gene. We found that the Nkx2.1-Cre transgene could abolish BDNF expression in many hypothalamic nuclei, but not in the PVH, and that the resulting mutant mice developed modest obesity due to reduced energy expenditure. Thus, BDNF produced in the VMH plays a role in regulating energy intake. Furthermore, BDNF expressed in hypothalamic areas other than PVH and VMH is also involved in the control of energy expenditure.

Influence of Magnetic Fields on Solar Hydrodynamics: Experimental Results

1977 ◽  
Vol 36 ◽  
pp. 143-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.O. Stenflo
Keyword(s):  
Solar Activity ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Magnetic Fields ◽  
Solar Atmosphere ◽  
General Problem ◽  
Solar Rotation ◽  
Active Regions ◽  
Physical Conditions ◽  
Dynamic Phenomena

It is well-known that solar activity is basically caused by the Interaction of magnetic fields with convection and solar rotation, resulting in a great variety of dynamic phenomena, like flares, surges, sunspots, prominences, etc. Many conferences have been devoted to solar activity, including the role of magnetic fields. Similar attention has not been paid to the role of magnetic fields for the overall dynamics and energy balance of the solar atmosphere, related to the general problem of chromospheric and coronal heating. To penetrate this problem we have to focus our attention more on the physical conditions in the ‘quiet’ regions than on the conspicuous phenomena in active regions.

The Effect of Path Length and Display Size on Memory for Spatial Information

2012 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 147-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Guérard ◽  
Sébastien Tremblay
Keyword(s):  
Path Length ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Spatial Information ◽  
Recall Performance ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Length Effect ◽  
Serial Memory ◽  
Fixed Reference ◽  
A Minor

In serial memory for spatial information, some studies showed that recall performance suffers when the distance between successive locations increases relatively to the size of the display in which they are presented (the path length effect; e.g., Parmentier et al., 2005) but not when distance is increased by enlarging the size of the display (e.g., Smyth & Scholey, 1994). In the present study, we examined the effect of varying the absolute and relative distance between to-be-remembered items on memory for spatial information. We manipulated path length using small (15″) and large (64″) screens within the same design. In two experiments, we showed that distance was disruptive mainly when it is varied relatively to a fixed reference frame, though increasing the size of the display also had a small deleterious effect on recall. The insertion of a retention interval did not influence these effects, suggesting that rehearsal plays a minor role in mediating the effects of distance on serial spatial memory. We discuss the potential role of perceptual organization in light of the pattern of results.

Ghrelin and Obesity-An Update

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gandhi M. ◽  
Swaminathan S.
Keyword(s):  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Cardiac Output ◽  
Energy Balance ◽  
Vascular Resistance ◽  
The Body ◽  
Ghrelin Receptor ◽  
Type2 Diabetes ◽  
Type2 Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Natural Hormones

Ghrelin as human natural hormones is involved in fundamental regulatory process of eating and energy balance. It is a stomach derived hormone that acts as at the ghrelin receptor in multiple tissues throughout to the body. Its properties includes increasing appetite, decreasing systemic inflammation, decreasing vascular resistance ,increasing cardiac output, increasing glucose and IGF-1 levels, Hence it may play a significant role in Diabetes mellitus. Many studies have linked ghrelin to obesity and this paper is an attempt to bring out recent findings on the role of ghrelin in Diabetes Mellitus, particularly type2 Diabetes mellitus.

Role of ghrelin in the regulation of energy balance in adult male albino rats

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-38
Author(s):  
Naglaa Y. Nafeh ◽  
Mona A. Said
Keyword(s):  
Energy Balance ◽  
Adult Male ◽  
Albino Rats

Effects of Myo-inositol Alone and in Combination with Seleno-Lmethionine on Cadmium-Induced Testicular Damage in Mice

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 311-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salvatore Benvenga ◽  
Antonio Micali ◽  
Giovanni Pallio ◽  
Roberto Vita ◽  
Consuelo Malta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Changes ◽  
Natural Antioxidants ◽  
Minor Role ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Testosterone Levels ◽  
Tnf Α ◽  
Testicular Lesions ◽  
A Minor ◽  
Immunohistochemical Analyses

Background: Cadmium (Cd) impairs gametogenesis and damages the blood-testis barrier. Objective: As the primary mechanism of Cd-induced damage is oxidative stress, the effects of two natural antioxidants, myo-inositol (MI) and seleno-L-methionine (Se), were evaluated in mice testes. Methods: Eighty-four male C57 BL/6J mice were divided into twelve groups: 0.9% NaCl (vehicle; 1 ml/kg/day i.p.); Se (0.2 mg/kg/day per os); Se (0.4 mg/kg/day per os); MI (360 mg/kg/day per os); MI plus Se (0.2 mg/kg/day); MI plus Se (0.4 mg/kg/day); CdCl2 (2 mg/kg/day i.p.) plus vehicle; CdCl2 plus MI; CdCl2 plus Se (0.2 mg/kg/day); CdCl2 plus Se (0.4 mg/kg/day); CdCl2 plus MI plus Se (0.2 mg/kg/day); and CdCl2 plus MI plus Se (0.4 mg/kg/day). After 14 days, testes were processed for biochemical, structural and immunohistochemical analyses. Results: CdCl2 increased iNOS and TNF-α expression and Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, lowered glutathione (GSH) and testosterone, induced testicular lesions, and almost eliminated claudin-11 immunoreactivity. Se administration at 0.2 or 0.4 mg/kg significantly reduced iNOS and TNF-α expression, maintained GSH, MDA and testosterone levels, structural changes and low claudin-11 immunoreactivity. MI alone or associated with Se at 0.2 or 0.4 mg/kg significantly reduced iNOS and TNF-α expression and MDA levels, increased GSH and testosterone levels, ameliorated structural organization and increased claudin-11 patches number. Conclusion: We demonstrated a protective effect of MI, a minor role of Se and an evident positive role of the association between MI and Se on Cd-induced damages of the testis. MI alone or associated with Se might protect testes in subjects exposed to toxicants, at least to those with behavior similar to Cd.

scholarly journals Environmental enrichment prevents the late effect of acute stress-induced fear extinction deficit: the role of hippocampal AMPA-GluA1 phosphorylation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo Santana Novaes ◽  
Letícia Morais Bueno-de-Camargo ◽  
Carolina Demarchi Munhoz
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Enrichment ◽  
Basolateral Amygdala ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Fear Memory ◽  
Fear Extinction ◽  
Post Traumatic Stress ◽  
Related Disorder ◽  
Memory Extinction ◽  
Post Traumatic

AbstractThe persistence of anxiety and the deficit of fear memory extinction are both phenomena related to the symptoms of a trauma-related disorder, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Recently we have shown that single acute restraint stress (2 h) in rats induces a late anxiety-related behavior (observed ten days after stress), whereas, in the present work, we found that the same stress impaired fear extinction in animals conditioned ten days after stress. Fourteen days of environmental enrichment (EE) prevented the deleterious effect of stress on fear memory extinction. Additionally, we observed that EE prevented the stress-induced increase in AMPA receptor GluA1 subunit phosphorylation in the hippocampus, but not in the basolateral amygdala complex and the frontal cortex, indicating a potential mechanism by which it exerts its protective effect against the stress-induced behavioral outcome.

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