Pub Date : 2025-11-01Epub Date: 2025-07-25DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115037
Mary Elizabeth Baugh, Monica L Ahrens, Amber K Burns, Rhianna M Sullivan, Abigail N Valle, Alexandra L Hanlon, Alexandra G DiFeliceantonio
The modern food landscape, marked by a rising prevalence of highly refined, ultra-processed, and highly palatable foods, combined with genetic and environmental susceptibilities, is widely considered a key factor driving obesity at the population level. Gaining insight into the physiological and behavioral mechanisms that shape food preferences and choices is crucial for understanding obesity's development and informing prevention strategies. One factor influencing habitual eating patterns, which may impact body weight, is flavor-nutrient learning. Research suggests that post-oral signaling is diminished in both animals and humans with obesity, potentially affecting flavor-nutrient learning. By analyzing pooled data from two similar preliminary studies, we found that markers of glycemic control-specifically fasting glucose and HbA1C-rather than BMI, were negatively correlated with changes in flavor liking in our flavor-nutrient learning task. These findings contribute to the expanding body of research on flavor-nutrient learning and underscore the variability in individual responses to these paradigms. Obesity is increasingly recognized as a complex and heterogeneous condition with diverse underlying mechanisms. Together, our findings and existing evidence emphasize the importance of further investigating how phenotypic factors interact to shape food preferences and eating behaviors.
{"title":"Metrics of glycemic control but not body weight influence flavor nutrient conditioning in humans.","authors":"Mary Elizabeth Baugh, Monica L Ahrens, Amber K Burns, Rhianna M Sullivan, Abigail N Valle, Alexandra L Hanlon, Alexandra G DiFeliceantonio","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115037","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115037","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The modern food landscape, marked by a rising prevalence of highly refined, ultra-processed, and highly palatable foods, combined with genetic and environmental susceptibilities, is widely considered a key factor driving obesity at the population level. Gaining insight into the physiological and behavioral mechanisms that shape food preferences and choices is crucial for understanding obesity's development and informing prevention strategies. One factor influencing habitual eating patterns, which may impact body weight, is flavor-nutrient learning. Research suggests that post-oral signaling is diminished in both animals and humans with obesity, potentially affecting flavor-nutrient learning. By analyzing pooled data from two similar preliminary studies, we found that markers of glycemic control-specifically fasting glucose and HbA1C-rather than BMI, were negatively correlated with changes in flavor liking in our flavor-nutrient learning task. These findings contribute to the expanding body of research on flavor-nutrient learning and underscore the variability in individual responses to these paradigms. Obesity is increasingly recognized as a complex and heterogeneous condition with diverse underlying mechanisms. Together, our findings and existing evidence emphasize the importance of further investigating how phenotypic factors interact to shape food preferences and eating behaviors.</p>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":" ","pages":"115037"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12393117/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144732909","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-30DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115153
Rayran Walter Ramos de Sousa , Ingredy Lopes dos Santos , Débora Caroline do Nascimento Rodrigues , Maria Luísa Lima Barreto do Nascimento , Micaely Lorrana Pereira Conceição , Milena Monteiro de Freitas , Gabriel da Silva Fernandes , Rita de Cássia de Lima Sousa , Railson Pereira Souza , Irislene Costa Pereira , Francisco Leonardo Torres-Leal , Luciano da Silva Lopes , Paulo Michel Pinheiro Ferreira
Cancer has been correlated with psychiatrical disorders, and incidence of depression is about 3-fold higher in oncological patients. However, there is no validated animal models currently describing sarcoma-associated depression. Herein, we evaluated a preclinical way for estimating behavioral depression-like parameters in Sarcoma-180180180-transplanted mice and investigated the therapeutic efficacy of current clinical antidepressants. Firstly, S-180-bearing Swiss were evaluated using behavioral tests between days 10–11 after S-180 transplantation: open field (OFT), elevated plus maze (EPM), light–dark box (LDB), tail suspension (TST), forced swim (FST), and sucrose preference (SPT). Next, studies investigated effects of amitriptyline (AMI, oral), fluoxetine (FLU, oral), or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, i.p.) at 10 or 20 mg/kg/day (alone or in combination) on behavior and oxidative/nitrosative profile of subacute-treated mice. No significant differences (p> 0.05) were observed about locomotor and exploratory activity (OFT, EPM, LDB). Meanwhile, S-180-bearing mice showed increase of immobility time (TST) and reduced sucrose preference in comparison with healthy animals (p< 0.05), typical features of depressive phenotype without alterations in anxiety-related parameters. These findings were associated with oxidative stress (malondialdehyde increasing) and antioxidant markers (superoxide dismutase decreasing/increasing) in the prefrontal cortex and/or hippocampus (p< 0.05). Such biochemical changes and depressive phenotype were partly attenuated by amitriptyline and fluoxetine 10 or 20 mg/kg/day for 10 days, but co-treatment with 5-FU did not show additional improvements. This physiopathological study represent a promising discovery highlighting the potential of non-clinical protocols to understand mesenchymal tumor-related depression and to develop new pharmacological tools against the multivariate spectrum of cancer-related diseases.
{"title":"Behavioral standardization and validation of a new model of cancer-induced depression in sarcoma-bearing mice","authors":"Rayran Walter Ramos de Sousa , Ingredy Lopes dos Santos , Débora Caroline do Nascimento Rodrigues , Maria Luísa Lima Barreto do Nascimento , Micaely Lorrana Pereira Conceição , Milena Monteiro de Freitas , Gabriel da Silva Fernandes , Rita de Cássia de Lima Sousa , Railson Pereira Souza , Irislene Costa Pereira , Francisco Leonardo Torres-Leal , Luciano da Silva Lopes , Paulo Michel Pinheiro Ferreira","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115153","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115153","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cancer has been correlated with psychiatrical disorders, and incidence of depression is about 3-fold higher in oncological patients. However, there is no validated animal models currently describing sarcoma-associated depression. Herein, we evaluated a preclinical way for estimating behavioral depression-like parameters in Sarcoma-180180180-transplanted mice and investigated the therapeutic efficacy of current clinical antidepressants. Firstly, S-180-bearing Swiss were evaluated using behavioral tests between days 10–11 after S-180 transplantation: open field (OFT), elevated plus maze (EPM), light–dark box (LDB), tail suspension (TST), forced swim (FST), and sucrose preference (SPT). Next, studies investigated effects of amitriptyline (AMI, oral), fluoxetine (FLU, oral), or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, i.p.) at 10 or 20 mg/kg/day (alone or in combination) on behavior and oxidative/nitrosative profile of subacute-treated mice. No significant differences (<em>p</em>> 0.05) were observed about locomotor and exploratory activity (OFT, EPM, LDB). Meanwhile, S-180-bearing mice showed increase of immobility time (TST) and reduced sucrose preference in comparison with healthy animals (<em>p</em>< 0.05), typical features of depressive phenotype without alterations in anxiety-related parameters. These findings were associated with oxidative stress (malondialdehyde increasing) and antioxidant markers (superoxide dismutase decreasing/increasing) in the prefrontal cortex and/or hippocampus (<em>p</em>< 0.05). Such biochemical changes and depressive phenotype were partly attenuated by amitriptyline and fluoxetine 10 or 20 mg/kg/day for 10 days, but co-treatment with 5-FU did not show additional improvements. This physiopathological study represent a promising discovery highlighting the potential of non-clinical protocols to understand mesenchymal tumor-related depression and to develop new pharmacological tools against the multivariate spectrum of cancer-related diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"304 ","pages":"Article 115153"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145422465","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-30DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115152
Marcone Rodrigues da Silva e Santos , Lisandra Brandino de Oliveira
Angiotensin II (ANG II) induces water intake, sodium appetite and, more recently, its effects on sucrose intake have become interest. Chronic swimming training reduce plasma ANG II levels, basal sucrose intake, but not water intake. Therefore, this study investigated the chronic effect of swimming training on water and sucrose intake induced by 24-hour water deprivation or central injection of ANG II. Male Wistar rats from different cohorts remained sedentary (SED) or underwent swimming training (TR - 1 hour/day, 5 times/week, for 8 weeks, without additional load). Chronic effects of swimming and/or a sedentary lifestyle were checked three days after the end of the exercise protocol by two experiments. Experiment 1: WD-RP (water deprivation-partial rehydration protocol) to check water and sucrose solution intake. Experiment 2 and 3: Involvement of central ANG II (0.4 nmol/μl) and its antagonists (AT1 – losartan (50 nmol/μl) and AT2 - PD 123,319 (30 nmol/μl) in sucrose solution intake. Chronic swimming training prevented the increase in sucrose intake - but not water intake - induced by either water deprivation or central ANG II administration. Both angiotensinergic receptors (AT1 and AT2) are involved on basal sucrose intake (in both sedentary and trained rats) as well as in ANG II-induced sucrose intake (in sedentary rats). These findings suggest that ANG II plays an significant role in regulating sucrose intake, regardless of whether the animals were sedentary or trained. However, this mechanism appears attenuated in trained animals, suggesting that swimming training may activate unidentified pathways that limit ANG II-dependent sucrose intake.
{"title":"Chronic swimming training counteracts sucrose intake increase induced by water deprivation and central angiotensin II","authors":"Marcone Rodrigues da Silva e Santos , Lisandra Brandino de Oliveira","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115152","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115152","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Angiotensin II (ANG II) induces water intake, sodium appetite and, more recently, its effects on sucrose intake have become interest. Chronic swimming training reduce plasma ANG II levels, basal sucrose intake, but not water intake. Therefore, this study investigated the chronic effect of swimming training on water and sucrose intake induced by 24-hour water deprivation or central injection of ANG II. Male Wistar rats from different cohorts remained sedentary (SED) or underwent swimming training (TR - 1 hour/day, 5 times/week, for 8 weeks, without additional load). Chronic effects of swimming and/or a sedentary lifestyle were checked three days after the end of the exercise protocol by two experiments. Experiment 1: WD-RP (water deprivation-partial rehydration protocol) to check water and sucrose solution intake. Experiment 2 and 3: Involvement of central ANG II (0.4 nmol/μl) and its antagonists (AT1 – losartan (50 nmol/μl) and AT2 - PD 123,319 (30 nmol/μl) in sucrose solution intake. Chronic swimming training prevented the increase in sucrose intake - but not water intake - induced by either water deprivation or central ANG II administration. Both angiotensinergic receptors (AT1 and AT2) are involved on basal sucrose intake (in both sedentary and trained rats) as well as in ANG II-induced sucrose intake (in sedentary rats). These findings suggest that ANG II plays an significant role in regulating sucrose intake, regardless of whether the animals were sedentary or trained. However, this mechanism appears attenuated in trained animals, suggesting that swimming training may activate unidentified pathways that limit ANG II-dependent sucrose intake.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115152"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145422428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) affect many pregnant women’s quality of life, and the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is suspected to be a factor in exacerbating NVP due to its synchronized elevation with NVP episodes and the receptor expression in the area postrema (AP) and the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), which are brain regions known to regulate nausea and vomiting. However, the correlation between hCG and NVP remains inconsistent in human epidemiological studies. To elucidate the causal relationship between hCG and NVP, we evaluated the effect of hCG in mice. We found that the hCG administration suppressed locomotion without affecting food intake in intact mice, which may reflect malaise observed in NVP. Similar effects were observed in ovariectomized females, indicating that the effect is independent of sex steroids released from the ovary. Furthermore, hCG did not increase the c-Fos expression in AP or NTS, and the lesion of AP and the intermediate dorsal part of NTS did not affect the hCG-induced hypoactivity. These results suggest that locomotion suppression by hCG is independent of AP and NTS. While species differences must be considered, this research provides valuable insights into the potential role of hCG in NVP.
{"title":"Human chorionic gonadotropin inhibits locomotion but not food intake independently of the area postrema and the nucleus tractus solitarius in female mice","authors":"Masami Anan , Katsura Kagawa , Yuko Okamatsu-Ogura , Soichiro Yamaguchi , Saori Yano-Nashimoto","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115151","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115151","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) affect many pregnant women’s quality of life, and the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is suspected to be a factor in exacerbating NVP due to its synchronized elevation with NVP episodes and the receptor expression in the area postrema (AP) and the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), which are brain regions known to regulate nausea and vomiting. However, the correlation between hCG and NVP remains inconsistent in human epidemiological studies. To elucidate the causal relationship between hCG and NVP, we evaluated the effect of hCG in mice. We found that the hCG administration suppressed locomotion without affecting food intake in intact mice, which may reflect malaise observed in NVP. Similar effects were observed in ovariectomized females, indicating that the effect is independent of sex steroids released from the ovary. Furthermore, hCG did not increase the c-Fos expression in AP or NTS, and the lesion of AP and the intermediate dorsal part of NTS did not affect the hCG-induced hypoactivity. These results suggest that locomotion suppression by hCG is independent of AP and NTS. While species differences must be considered, this research provides valuable insights into the potential role of hCG in NVP.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115151"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145422478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Circadian misalignment, frequently encountered in shiftwork and trans-meridian travel, disrupts the temporal coordination of physiological processes and increases susceptibility to metabolic, neurobehavioral, and inflammatory disorders. Concurrently, it has been established that high dietary intake of refined sugars poses additional risks to systemic homeostasis. This study investigates the interactive effects of prolonged circadian disruption and sustained high-sucrose intake on neurobehavioral outcomes, metabolic parameters, redox homeostasis, and hepatic integrity in adult male mice. Animals were maintained under either a stable 12 h light:12 h dark cycle or exposed to a 24-day protocol of alternating 8 h phase advances and delays that simulated chronic jetlag/shiftwork. Within each lighting condition, mice consumed either tap water or a 30 % sucrose solution, yielding four experimental groups. Behavioral assays revealed that combined exposure to circadian disruption and sucrose elicited pronounced anxiety-like phenotypes and significant increases in body weight and blood glucose levels. Histological and lipid-specific analyses revealed progressive hepatic steatosis, vacuolization, and lipid accumulation, with pathology most pronounced under combined circadian disruption and sucrose intake. Biochemical analyses showed reduced antioxidant enzyme activities, elevated blood glucose and triglyceride levels, and increased hepatic enzymes, indicating oxidative stress, metabolic disruption, and liver dysfunction. Notably, chronic jetlag alone impaired neurobehavior, redox balance, and liver health, while high sugar intake further amplified these effects. These findings underscore the translational significance of addressing both circadian disruption and dietary excess to mitigate metabolic and psychological risks in individuals exposed to irregular light schedules and high-sugar diets.
{"title":"Impact of high sugar intake on neurobehavioral, oxidative, and hepatic integrity in mice exposed to simulated chronic jetlag/shiftwork","authors":"Madhumita Mishra , Rajesh Gupta , Vineetkumar Pillai, Muniyandi Singaravel","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115149","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115149","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Circadian misalignment, frequently encountered in shiftwork and trans-meridian travel, disrupts the temporal coordination of physiological processes and increases susceptibility to metabolic, neurobehavioral, and inflammatory disorders. Concurrently, it has been established that high dietary intake of refined sugars poses additional risks to systemic homeostasis. This study investigates the interactive effects of prolonged circadian disruption and sustained high-sucrose intake on neurobehavioral outcomes, metabolic parameters, redox homeostasis, and hepatic integrity in adult male mice. Animals were maintained under either a stable 12 h light:12 h dark cycle or exposed to a 24-day protocol of alternating 8 h phase advances and delays that simulated chronic jetlag/shiftwork. Within each lighting condition, mice consumed either tap water or a 30 % sucrose solution, yielding four experimental groups. Behavioral assays revealed that combined exposure to circadian disruption and sucrose elicited pronounced anxiety-like phenotypes and significant increases in body weight and blood glucose levels. Histological and lipid-specific analyses revealed progressive hepatic steatosis, vacuolization, and lipid accumulation, with pathology most pronounced under combined circadian disruption and sucrose intake. Biochemical analyses showed reduced antioxidant enzyme activities, elevated blood glucose and triglyceride levels, and increased hepatic enzymes, indicating oxidative stress, metabolic disruption, and liver dysfunction. Notably, chronic jetlag alone impaired neurobehavior, redox balance, and liver health, while high sugar intake further amplified these effects. These findings underscore the translational significance of addressing both circadian disruption and dietary excess to mitigate metabolic and psychological risks in individuals exposed to irregular light schedules and high-sugar diets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115149"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145409825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-28DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115150
Martha Petrovick , Jessie Hendricks , Emily K. Farina , Lauren A. Thompson , Joseph J. Knapik , Stefan M. Pasiakos , James P. McClung , Harris R. Lieberman
To qualify for training as elite U.S. Army Special Forces (SF) soldiers, candidates must complete the extremely stressful 19–20 day Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) course. At SFAS, soldiers must excel at stressful cognitive and physical challenges including team problem solving, foreign language testing, land navigation, timed loaded road marches, timed runs, and challenging obstacle courses. Approximately 70 % of soldiers who attempt SFAS fail. To investigate genetic factors associated with cognitive and physiological biomarkers of resilience and success at SFAS, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; n = 116) from 47 genes associated with psychological function, resilience, circadian rhythms/sleep, and biomarkers of stress (cortisol and C-reactive protein [CRP]) were examined. Study volunteers were 800 males enrolled in SFAS (age=25±4y; height=178.1 ± 7.5 cm; body mass=82.5 ± 9.2 kg; mean±SD). Genes associated with resilience and their functions included: tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2; serotonin synthesis); catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT; catecholamine catabolism); corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor1 gene (CRHR1; resilience to stress); Period3 (PER3; circadian rhythmicity); FK506 binding protein5 (FKBP5; steroid receptor regulation). In summary, several genetic variants are associated with cognitive function and resilience in healthy volunteers exposed to 19–20 days of severe physical and cognitive stress designed to select the best candidates for several years of training. This study extends findings of research on resilience genetics to a novel population and situation, mentally and physically stressed soldiers competing for the opportunity to be trained for an elite unit. The findings indicate that several genes known to be associated with resilience exert their effects on the resilience phenotype under very difficult circumstances than usually studied.
{"title":"Genetic markers of stress, resilience and success at an elite military selection course","authors":"Martha Petrovick , Jessie Hendricks , Emily K. Farina , Lauren A. Thompson , Joseph J. Knapik , Stefan M. Pasiakos , James P. McClung , Harris R. Lieberman","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115150","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115150","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>To qualify for training as elite U.S. Army Special Forces (SF) soldiers, candidates must complete the extremely stressful 19–20 day Special Forces Assessment and Selection (SFAS) course. At SFAS, soldiers must excel at stressful cognitive and physical challenges including team problem solving, foreign language testing, land navigation, timed loaded road marches, timed runs, and challenging obstacle courses. Approximately 70 % of soldiers who attempt SFAS fail. To investigate genetic factors associated with cognitive and physiological biomarkers of resilience and success at SFAS, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; <em>n</em> = 116) from 47 genes associated with psychological function, resilience, circadian rhythms/sleep, and biomarkers of stress (cortisol and C-reactive protein [CRP]) were examined. Study volunteers were 800 males enrolled in SFAS (age=25±4y; height=178.1 ± 7.5 cm; body mass=82.5 ± 9.2 kg; mean±SD). Genes associated with resilience and their functions included: tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2; serotonin synthesis); catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT; catecholamine catabolism); corticotropin-releasing hormone receptor1 gene (CRHR1; resilience to stress); Period3 (PER3; circadian rhythmicity); FK506 binding protein5 (FKBP5; steroid receptor regulation). In summary, several genetic variants are associated with cognitive function and resilience in healthy volunteers exposed to 19–20 days of severe physical and cognitive stress designed to select the best candidates for several years of training. This study extends findings of research on resilience genetics to a novel population and situation, mentally and physically stressed soldiers competing for the opportunity to be trained for an elite unit. The findings indicate that several genes known to be associated with resilience exert their effects on the resilience phenotype under very difficult circumstances than usually studied.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"304 ","pages":"Article 115150"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145409844","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-27DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115148
Abbigail M. Turner , Victoria N. Sluis , Michael P. Ward , Mark E. Hauber
Obligate brood parasitic birds often face the removal of their eggs by rejector hosts; for example, in North America, American robins (Turdus migratorius) are robust egg rejectors of non-mimetic brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) eggs. Recent studies have investigated the role of various hormones during the anti-parasitic egg-rejection process. Corticosterone, a steroid hormone often released in response to environmental stressors, has previously been found to increase the propensity for female American robins to reject non-mimetic model eggs. To better understand how corticosterone affects other behaviors during the egg-ejection behavioral complex (e.g., the distance the egg is taken from the nest, the latency of rejection decision), we combined two previously used techniques for (i) non-invasive corticosterone delivery and (ii) spatio-temporal tracking of rejected model eggs in wild female American robins. All subjects rejected the non-mimetic model eggs from their clutch, and through a repeated-measures design, we found that the same female robin reduced her egg-ejection distance in the corticosterone treatment relative to the control. In turn, we did not find a treatment effect for ejection latency, perhaps because all but one female already rejected the model egg rapidly (within one hour). Future work should examine whether other known endocrine mediators of egg rejection, including prolactin, similarly affect aspects of egg rejection behavior in this and other hosts of obligate avian brood parasites.
{"title":"Corticosterone shortens foreign egg ejection distance but not latency in American robins (Turdus migratorius)","authors":"Abbigail M. Turner , Victoria N. Sluis , Michael P. Ward , Mark E. Hauber","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115148","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115148","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Obligate brood parasitic birds often face the removal of their eggs by rejector hosts; for example, in North America, American robins (<em>Turdus migratorius)</em> are robust egg rejectors of non-mimetic brown-headed cowbird (<em>Molothrus ater)</em> eggs. Recent studies have investigated the role of various hormones during the anti-parasitic egg-rejection process. Corticosterone, a steroid hormone often released in response to environmental stressors, has previously been found to increase the propensity for female American robins to reject non-mimetic model eggs. To better understand how corticosterone affects other behaviors during the egg-ejection behavioral complex (e.g., the distance the egg is taken from the nest, the latency of rejection decision), we combined two previously used techniques for (i) non-invasive corticosterone delivery and (ii) spatio-temporal tracking of rejected model eggs in wild female American robins. All subjects rejected the non-mimetic model eggs from their clutch, and through a repeated-measures design, we found that the same female robin reduced her egg-ejection distance in the corticosterone treatment relative to the control. In turn, we did not find a treatment effect for ejection latency, perhaps because all but one female already rejected the model egg rapidly (within one hour). Future work should examine whether other known endocrine mediators of egg rejection, including prolactin, similarly affect aspects of egg rejection behavior in this and other hosts of obligate avian brood parasites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115148"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145401524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-25DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115146
Li Shen Chong , Teresa Mejia , Kate L. Senich , Christy L. Olezeski , Elana B. Gordis
Negative life events are associated with the development of psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms. Evidence suggests that individual differences in stress response system activity may alter susceptibility to psychological distress for those with exposure to negative life events. In particular, women experience greater levels of psychological distress than men. Given that emerging adulthood is characterized by stressful, significant life transitions that may constitute risks for psychological distress, this study examined whether hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and gender influenced the link between negative life events and psychological distress among emerging adults. Participants (N = 176; mean age = 19.03, 55 % women) self-reported negative life events during emerging adulthood and current depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms. HPA-axis activity was indexed by cortisol reactivity in response to a psychosocial stress task measured using the area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg) and increase (AUCi). Regression analyses revealed a significant three-way interaction between negative life events, cortisol reactivity, and gender in predicting traumatic stress symptoms. Specifically, the association between negative life events and traumatic stress symptoms was stronger among women with lower levels of AUCg cortisol reactivity. Moreover, significant two-way interactions emerged between AUCi cortisol reactivity and gender in predicting depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms. Lower levels of cortisol reactivity were more strongly associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms only among women, but not among men. These findings highlight the importance of utilizing a biopsychosocial approach in understanding the development of psychological distress.
{"title":"The interactive effects of negative life events, cortisol reactivity, and gender on psychological distress among emerging adults","authors":"Li Shen Chong , Teresa Mejia , Kate L. Senich , Christy L. Olezeski , Elana B. Gordis","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115146","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115146","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Negative life events are associated with the development of psychological distress, including depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms. Evidence suggests that individual differences in stress response system activity may alter susceptibility to psychological distress for those with exposure to negative life events. In particular, women experience greater levels of psychological distress than men. Given that emerging adulthood is characterized by stressful, significant life transitions that may constitute risks for psychological distress, this study examined whether hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity and gender influenced the link between negative life events and psychological distress among emerging adults. Participants (<em>N</em> = 176; mean age = 19.03, 55 % women) self-reported negative life events during emerging adulthood and current depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms. HPA-axis activity was indexed by cortisol reactivity in response to a psychosocial stress task measured using the area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg) and increase (AUCi). Regression analyses revealed a significant three-way interaction between negative life events, cortisol reactivity, and gender in predicting traumatic stress symptoms. Specifically, the association between negative life events and traumatic stress symptoms was stronger among women with lower levels of AUCg cortisol reactivity. Moreover, significant two-way interactions emerged between AUCi cortisol reactivity and gender in predicting depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms. Lower levels of cortisol reactivity were more strongly associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress symptoms only among women, but not among men. These findings highlight the importance of utilizing a biopsychosocial approach in understanding the development of psychological distress.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"304 ","pages":"Article 115146"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145479266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Consuming a high-fat diet (HFD) impairs memory function, and time-restricted feeding (TRF) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) are potential interventions to prevent cognitive decline. However, the combined effects of TRF and HIIT on HFD-induced deficits in working and spatial memory remain unexplored.
Materials and methods
Thirty C57BL/6 male mice were divided into two groups: (1) normal chow (NC) (n= 6), (2) high-fat diet (HFD) (n= 24). The HFD groups were fed a 60 % HFD for 12 weeks, and then divided into four group: (1) control HFD (HFD), (2) HFD with HIIT training (HFD+HIIT), (3) HFD with TRF (HFD+TRF), (4) HFD with HIIT training and TRF (HFD+HIIT+TRF). The intervention groups underwent 8 weeks of HIIT (5 days per week), TRF (8/16 h) or a combination of HIIT and TRF. Behavioral tests of working and spatial memory were then conducted.
Results
Analysis by ANOVA revealed significant main effects of HIIT and TRF on working (HIIT: (F (1, 20) = 17.10, p= 0.0005, η² = 0.46; TRF: (F (1, 20) = 18.06, p= 0.0004, η² = 0.47) and spatial memory (HIIT: (F (1, 20) = 4.769, p= 0.04, η² = 0.19), TRF:(F (1, 20) = 11.80, p= 0.002, η² = 0.37)), while the interaction was not significant (working memory: F (1, 20) = 0.4722, p= 0.49, η² = 0.023; spatial memory: (F (1, 20) = 0.7888, p= 0.38, η² = 0.037)). Multiple comparisons indicated that the combined HIIT+TRF group outperformed both single-intervention groups, suggesting additive effects (P < 0.05).
Conclusions
HIIT and TRF independently improved HFD-induced memory deficits in male mice, with additive benefits in the combined group, highlighting the need for larger mechanistic studies to confirm these effects.
{"title":"Memory deficits induced by a high-fat diet are reduced by HIIT and time-restricted feeding","authors":"Farzaneh Zeynali , Maryam Delfan , Ismail Laher , Hassane Zouhal","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115145","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115145","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Aim</h3><div>Consuming a high-fat diet (HFD) impairs memory function, and time-restricted feeding (TRF) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) are potential interventions to prevent cognitive decline. However, the combined effects of TRF and HIIT on HFD-induced deficits in working and spatial memory remain unexplored.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><div>Thirty C57BL/6 male mice were divided into two groups: (1) normal chow (NC) (<em>n</em>= 6), (2) high-fat diet (HFD) (<em>n</em>= 24). The HFD groups were fed a 60 % HFD for 12 weeks, and then divided into four group: (1) control HFD (HFD), (2) HFD with HIIT training (HFD+HIIT), (3) HFD with TRF (HFD+TRF), (4) HFD with HIIT training and TRF (HFD+HIIT+TRF). The intervention groups underwent 8 weeks of HIIT (5 days per week), TRF (8/16 h) or a combination of HIIT and TRF. Behavioral tests of working and spatial memory were then conducted.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Analysis by ANOVA revealed significant main effects of HIIT and TRF on working (HIIT: (F (1, 20) = 17.10, <em>p</em>= 0.0005, η² = 0.46; TRF: (F (1, 20) = 18.06, <em>p</em>= 0.0004, η² = 0.47) and spatial memory (HIIT: (F (1, 20) = 4.769, <em>p</em>= 0.04, η² = 0.19), TRF:(F (1, 20) = 11.80, <em>p</em>= 0.002, η² = 0.37)), while the interaction was not significant (working memory: F (1, 20) = 0.4722, <em>p</em>= 0.49, η² = 0.023; spatial memory: (F (1, 20) = 0.7888, <em>p</em>= 0.38, η² = 0.037)). Multiple comparisons indicated that the combined HIIT+TRF group outperformed both single-intervention groups, suggesting additive effects (<em>P</em> < 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>HIIT and TRF independently improved HFD-induced memory deficits in male mice, with additive benefits in the combined group, highlighting the need for larger mechanistic studies to confirm these effects.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"304 ","pages":"Article 115145"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145577749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-10-25DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115147
Yue Zong , Shu-cong Peng , Qun Zhang , Guo-hui Yang , Dan Huang , Gang Liu , Yi Wu
Post-stroke hemiplegia often leads to a slower and less complete recovery of the paretic upper limb’s extension compared to its flexion. The mechanisms underlying this disparity remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of unilateral photothrombotic stroke on forelimb flexor and extensor muscles in adult mice, with a focus on differential changes in spinal motor neurons. Our comparative analysis demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in the number of motor neurons innervating the extensor muscles post-stroke. Bioinformatics analysis of the transcriptome revealed that genes associated with inflammatory responses and cell chemotaxis were upregulated in the spinal segment innervating the extensors, whereas genes related to cellular repair were upregulated in the segment innervating the flexors. These findings offer insights into the differential recovery of paretic upper limb flexion and extension following stroke.
{"title":"Differential changes in spinal motor neurons innervating paretic upper limb flexors and extensors after stroke","authors":"Yue Zong , Shu-cong Peng , Qun Zhang , Guo-hui Yang , Dan Huang , Gang Liu , Yi Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115147","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115147","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Post-stroke hemiplegia often leads to a slower and less complete recovery of the paretic upper limb’s extension compared to its flexion. The mechanisms underlying this disparity remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of unilateral photothrombotic stroke on forelimb flexor and extensor muscles in adult mice, with a focus on differential changes in spinal motor neurons. Our comparative analysis demonstrated a significantly greater reduction in the number of motor neurons innervating the extensor muscles post-stroke. Bioinformatics analysis of the transcriptome revealed that genes associated with inflammatory responses and cell chemotaxis were upregulated in the spinal segment innervating the extensors, whereas genes related to cellular repair were upregulated in the segment innervating the flexors. These findings offer insights into the differential recovery of paretic upper limb flexion and extension following stroke.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115147"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145418111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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