Pub Date : 2025-01-26DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114820
Melanie Berger, Fabienne Bruggisser, Anja Schwarz, Rahel Leuenberger, Manuel Hanke, Markus Gerber, Sebastian Ludyga
Objectives
To investigate whether a single session of aerobic exercise improves inhibitory control in preadolescent children and whether this effect is mediated by changes in parasympathetic activity.
Design
In this experimental study, an intervention and control group were pair-matched by age, sex and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.
Method
114 participants either completed a 20 min moderately-intense exercise bout on a cycling ergometer or watched a 20 min video. Prior to and after these conditions, a computer-based Stroop task was administered. During the cognitive task, heart rate variability (HRV) was measured using electrocardiography.
Results
Path-analyses did not support an association between group and posttest accuracy on the Stroop task, while controlling for pretest scores. However, the intervention group had lower time-domain based HRV at posttest. The examination of mediation models revealed a moderation by sex, as the relation of lower time-domain based HRV with higher accuracy on both congruent and incongruent trials of the Stroop task was observed in girls only.
Conclusion
A single aerobic exercise session does not necessarily improve inhibitory control in preadolescent children. However, the manipulation of the autonomic state towards a parasympathetic withdrawal has the potential to alter inhibitory control in girls in particular.
{"title":"Acute effect of aerobic exercise on inhibitory control and task-related heart rate variability in preadolescent children","authors":"Melanie Berger, Fabienne Bruggisser, Anja Schwarz, Rahel Leuenberger, Manuel Hanke, Markus Gerber, Sebastian Ludyga","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114820","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114820","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>To investigate whether a single session of aerobic exercise improves inhibitory control in preadolescent children and whether this effect is mediated by changes in parasympathetic activity.</div></div><div><h3>Design</h3><div>In this experimental study, an intervention and control group were pair-matched by age, sex and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>114 participants either completed a 20 min moderately-intense exercise bout on a cycling ergometer or watched a 20 min video. Prior to and after these conditions, a computer-based Stroop task was administered. During the cognitive task, heart rate variability (HRV) was measured using electrocardiography.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Path-analyses did not support an association between group and posttest accuracy on the Stroop task, while controlling for pretest scores. However, the intervention group had lower time-domain based HRV at posttest. The examination of mediation models revealed a moderation by sex, as the relation of lower time-domain based HRV with higher accuracy on both congruent and incongruent trials of the Stroop task was observed in girls only.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>A single aerobic exercise session does not necessarily improve inhibitory control in preadolescent children. However, the manipulation of the autonomic state towards a parasympathetic withdrawal has the potential to alter inhibitory control in girls in particular.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 114820"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143060348","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}
Obesity is a global health crisis linked to numerous adverse outcomes including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and cognitive decline. This study investigated the sex-specific effects of monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced obesity on learning, memory, anxiety-like behavior, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity in rats. In 32 neonatal Wistar albino rats, subcutaneous MSG injections were administered to induce obesity. Both male and female obese rats displayed significant abdominal fat accumulation, with a more pronounced increase in females. Cognitive assessments using the Morris water maze test revealed substantial impairments in learning and memory in both sexes, although no significant sex-related differences were observed. Anxiety-like behavior remained unaffected by obesity in both sexes, as indicated by behavioral tests. Oxidative stress in the hippocampus, measured by total oxidant and antioxidant levels, did not show significant alterations. However, the study found genotoxic effects in female obese rats, indicated by DNA damage, whereas male rats did not exhibit such effects. The results suggest that MSG-induced obesity negatively impacts cognitive function and causes genotoxicity, particularly in females, highlighting the potential sex-specific vulnerabilities in obesity-related pathologies. This research provides valuable insights into the cognitive and genetic consequences of obesity, with implications for understanding complex biological mechanisms across sexes.
{"title":"Impact of monosodium glutamate-induced obesity on learning, memory, and DNA damage: Sex-based comparative study in rats","authors":"Fatih Altintas , Hasan Akca , Tunahan Anber , Dilek Sayin , Melek Tunc-Ata , Vural Kucukatay , Ismail Hakki Akbudak","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114822","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114822","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Obesity is a global health crisis linked to numerous adverse outcomes including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and cognitive decline. This study investigated the sex-specific effects of monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced obesity on learning, memory, anxiety-like behavior, oxidative stress, and genotoxicity in rats. In 32 neonatal Wistar albino rats, subcutaneous MSG injections were administered to induce obesity. Both male and female obese rats displayed significant abdominal fat accumulation, with a more pronounced increase in females. Cognitive assessments using the Morris water maze test revealed substantial impairments in learning and memory in both sexes, although no significant sex-related differences were observed. Anxiety-like behavior remained unaffected by obesity in both sexes, as indicated by behavioral tests. Oxidative stress in the hippocampus, measured by total oxidant and antioxidant levels, did not show significant alterations. However, the study found genotoxic effects in female obese rats, indicated by DNA damage, whereas male rats did not exhibit such effects. The results suggest that MSG-induced obesity negatively impacts cognitive function and causes genotoxicity, particularly in females, highlighting the potential sex-specific vulnerabilities in obesity-related pathologies. This research provides valuable insights into the cognitive and genetic consequences of obesity, with implications for understanding complex biological mechanisms across sexes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 114822"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143053188","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 : 2025-01-25DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114823
Samuel Tetteh-Quarshie, Karli M. Morrison, Nathan A. Olszewski, Lauren E. Young, Esther N. Mensah, Mason K. Sword, Brandon J. Henderson
With the rise in fast-food culture and the continued high numbers of tobacco-related deaths, there has been a great deal of interest in understanding the relationship between high-fat diet (HFD) and nicotine use behaviors. Using adult mice and a patch-clamp electrophysiology assay, we investigated the influence of HFD on the excitability of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons and pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) given their role in modulating the reinforcing effects of nicotine and natural rewards. We then examined whether HFD-induced changes in peripheral markers were associated with nicotine use behaviors. Here, mice were assigned standard diet (SD) or HFD for 6 weeks and then trained to self-administer nicotine using an e-vape® self-administration (EVSA) assay. After the last session, changes in glucose, insulin, and leptin were assessed with ELISA. HFD-assigned mice displayed a decrease in intrinsic excitability of VTA dopamine neurons; but an increase in intrinsic excitability of layer VI prelimbic mPFC neurons. SD-assigned female mice demonstrated enhanced nicotine EVSA during fixed-ratio 3 relative to SD males. HFD-assigned male and female mice displayed increased nicotine EVSA during FR1. However, only HFD-assigned male mice exhibited enhanced nicotine EVSA during FR3. Finally, HFD-assigned male and female mice displayed increased leptin levels. However, we only observed a direct correlation between leptin levels and EVSA responding during FR1 in HFD-fed male mice. These results suggest that high-fat diet alter nicotine intake in a sex-specific manner, and this may be due to diet-induced changes in neuronal excitability and circulating leptin levels.
{"title":"The influence of high-fat diet on nicotine vapor self-administration, neuronal excitability, and leptin levels in adult mice","authors":"Samuel Tetteh-Quarshie, Karli M. Morrison, Nathan A. Olszewski, Lauren E. Young, Esther N. Mensah, Mason K. Sword, Brandon J. Henderson","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114823","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114823","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>With the rise in fast-food culture and the continued high numbers of tobacco-related deaths, there has been a great deal of interest in understanding the relationship between high-fat diet (HFD) and nicotine use behaviors. Using adult mice and a patch-clamp electrophysiology assay, we investigated the influence of HFD on the excitability of ventral tegmental area (VTA) dopamine neurons and pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) given their role in modulating the reinforcing effects of nicotine and natural rewards. We then examined whether HFD-induced changes in peripheral markers were associated with nicotine use behaviors. Here, mice were assigned standard diet (SD) or HFD for 6 weeks and then trained to self-administer nicotine using an e-vape® self-administration (EVSA) assay. After the last session, changes in glucose, insulin, and leptin were assessed with ELISA. HFD-assigned mice displayed a decrease in intrinsic excitability of VTA dopamine neurons; but an increase in intrinsic excitability of layer VI prelimbic mPFC neurons. SD-assigned female mice demonstrated enhanced nicotine EVSA during fixed-ratio 3 relative to SD males. HFD-assigned male and female mice displayed increased nicotine EVSA during FR1. However, only HFD-assigned male mice exhibited enhanced nicotine EVSA during FR3. Finally, HFD-assigned male and female mice displayed increased leptin levels. However, we only observed a direct correlation between leptin levels and EVSA responding during FR1 in HFD-fed male mice. These results suggest that high-fat diet alter nicotine intake in a sex-specific manner, and this may be due to diet-induced changes in neuronal excitability and circulating leptin levels.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 114823"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143053190","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}
Previous studies suggest that early-life stress (ELS) induced by early maternal separation and isolation (MS) stress during the stress hyporesponsive period (SHRP) leads to increased curiosity-like and increased risky decision-making behaviour in adolescence. Evidence suggests that dietary interventions early in adolescence could play an important role in mitigating the detrimental effects of MS stress on risky decision-making behaviour. Hence, the present study hypothesized that nutritional supplements such as saturated fat (SFA) and/or polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) would be beneficial in ameliorating the impact of MS stress on risky decision-making behaviour when incorporated into the diet during early adolescence. NC and MS rats were subjected to the Risky Decision-Taking Task (RDTT) to assess the rats’ ability to make decisions under risky conditions. The results showed that MS rats took less time to cross the risky zone to collect a large reward. However, when an SFA-rich and PUFA-rich diet was provided, the latency of the MS rats increased. Similarly, MS stress-induced reduction in risk assessment was restored to normal with the SFA and PUFA-rich diet. Risk-index (RI) values also showed a similar trend with reduced RI values in MS, but nutritional supplementation increased the RI values making it comparable to that NC. Correlation analysis has further revealed a direct correlation between the anxiety-like behaviour and the risk-taking tendency in MS rats and not in the NC group. SFA-rich diet led to a positive correlation between anxiety-like and risk-taking behaviour. These findings thus support the hypothesis that PUFA- and SFA-rich diet may be introduced at adolescence to mitigate MS-stress induced increased risky decision-making behaviour due to a deficit in risk assessment.
{"title":"Saturated and poly-unsaturated fat-rich dietary supplements during adolescence restore risky decision-making behaviour in rats pre-exposed to early-life stress","authors":"Abanti Chowdhury, B.S.Shankaranarayana Rao, T.R. Laxmi","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114821","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114821","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous studies suggest that early-life stress (ELS) induced by early maternal separation and isolation (MS) stress during the stress hyporesponsive period (SHRP) leads to increased curiosity-like and increased risky decision-making behaviour in adolescence. Evidence suggests that dietary interventions early in adolescence could play an important role in mitigating the detrimental effects of MS stress on risky decision-making behaviour. Hence, the present study hypothesized that nutritional supplements such as saturated fat (SFA) and/or polyunsaturated fat (PUFA) would be beneficial in ameliorating the impact of MS stress on risky decision-making behaviour when incorporated into the diet during early adolescence. NC and MS rats were subjected to the Risky Decision-Taking Task (RDTT) to assess the rats’ ability to make decisions under risky conditions. The results showed that MS rats took less time to cross the risky zone to collect a large reward. However, when an SFA-rich and PUFA-rich diet was provided, the latency of the MS rats increased. Similarly, MS stress-induced reduction in risk assessment was restored to normal with the SFA and PUFA-rich diet. Risk-index (RI) values also showed a similar trend with reduced RI values in MS, but nutritional supplementation increased the RI values making it comparable to that NC. Correlation analysis has further revealed a direct correlation between the anxiety-like behaviour and the risk-taking tendency in MS rats and not in the NC group. SFA-rich diet led to a positive correlation between anxiety-like and risk-taking behaviour. These findings thus support the hypothesis that PUFA- and SFA-rich diet may be introduced at adolescence to mitigate MS-stress induced increased risky decision-making behaviour due to a deficit in risk assessment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 114821"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143041142","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 : 2025-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114819
Ni Liu , Yu-fei Li , Xiao-tong Zhao , Yong-hui Li , Rui-si Cui
Many animal studies have explored decision-making under risk and punishment, particularly regarding potential rewards, but less focus has been placed on contexts involving net losses. Understanding decision-making under net loss conditions can shed light on the neural mechanisms involved. The basolateral amygdala to prelimbic cortex (BLA→PL) pathway is crucial for risky decision-making. In this study, we investigated how rats make decisions under no-reward but shock conditions, specifically examining the role of the BLA→PL pathway. In the risky decision-making shock task (RDST), rats chose between a “small/certain” lever, which consistently delivered one pellet, and a “large/risky” lever, offering variable rewards with a 50 % probability of reward and a 50 % probability of 1-s foot-shock. The results showed that the shock condition decreased the preference for the large/risky lever, despite increasing rewards. Importantly, inhibiting the BLA→PL pathway significantly increased the selection of the “large/risky” lever compared to the control. Although rats in the clozapine N-oxide (CNO) group did not exhibit significant differences in response latency between levers, they exhibited heightened sensitivity to rewards and losses, suggesting that the BLA→PL pathway affects the encoding of the relationship between aversive stimuli and reward-seeking. Overall, these results provide valuable insights into the neural mechanisms of risk-taking, particularly regarding how inhibition in the BLA→PL pathway can influence reward processing and decision-making under no-reward but shock conditions, with implications for understanding risk-related psychiatric disorders.
{"title":"Inhibition of the basolateral amygdala to prelimbic cortex pathway enhances risk-taking during risky decision-making shock task in rats","authors":"Ni Liu , Yu-fei Li , Xiao-tong Zhao , Yong-hui Li , Rui-si Cui","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114819","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114819","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Many animal studies have explored decision-making under risk and punishment, particularly regarding potential rewards, but less focus has been placed on contexts involving net losses. Understanding decision-making under net loss conditions can shed light on the neural mechanisms involved. The basolateral amygdala to prelimbic cortex (BLA→PL) pathway is crucial for risky decision-making. In this study, we investigated how rats make decisions under no-reward but shock conditions, specifically examining the role of the BLA→PL pathway. In the risky decision-making shock task (RDST), rats chose between a “small/certain” lever, which consistently delivered one pellet, and a “large/risky” lever, offering variable rewards with a 50 % probability of reward and a 50 % probability of 1-s foot-shock. The results showed that the shock condition decreased the preference for the large/risky lever, despite increasing rewards. Importantly, inhibiting the BLA→PL pathway significantly increased the selection of the “large/risky” lever compared to the control. Although rats in the clozapine N-oxide (CNO) group did not exhibit significant differences in response latency between levers, they exhibited heightened sensitivity to rewards and losses, suggesting that the BLA→PL pathway affects the encoding of the relationship between aversive stimuli and reward-seeking. Overall, these results provide valuable insights into the neural mechanisms of risk-taking, particularly regarding how inhibition in the BLA→PL pathway can influence reward processing and decision-making under no-reward but shock conditions, with implications for understanding risk-related psychiatric disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 114819"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143041145","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 : 2025-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114818
Joshua S. Webber , Maria K. Oosthuizen
The genus Otomys exhibits diverse activity patterns in the field, making them ideal subjects for studying circadian biology. The Southern African vlei rat (Otomys auratus) has previously been categorised as diurnal or crepuscular, but also displays some nocturnal activity. This study aimed to confirm the temporal niche of vlei rats in a laboratory setting and examine changes in activity when provided with a running wheel. The length of the free-running period was also calculated. In this study, 75 % of vlei rats displayed nocturnal activity rhythms when housed without a wheel. Access to a running wheel reduced individual variation and led to an increase in overall activity counts. All individuals had free running rhythms in constant darkness, with a period shorter than 24 h, which is consistent with other nocturnal rodents. This demonstrates that vlei rats are more active in darker conditions, likely as a means of avoiding diurnal avian predators in wetland habitats. With this species at risk of local extinction, this study is an important first step in understanding the behaviour of vlei rats under controlled conditions. As this species is displaced when its habitat becomes disturbed it may act as a useful bioindicator of wetland health and disturbance level.
{"title":"Daily activity patterns of a near-threatened endemic wetland specialist, the Southern African vlei rat (Otomys auratus)","authors":"Joshua S. Webber , Maria K. Oosthuizen","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114818","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114818","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The genus <em>Otomys</em> exhibits diverse activity patterns in the field, making them ideal subjects for studying circadian biology. The Southern African vlei rat (<em>Otomys auratus</em>) has previously been categorised as diurnal or crepuscular, but also displays some nocturnal activity. This study aimed to confirm the temporal niche of vlei rats in a laboratory setting and examine changes in activity when provided with a running wheel. The length of the free-running period was also calculated. In this study, 75 % of vlei rats displayed nocturnal activity rhythms when housed without a wheel. Access to a running wheel reduced individual variation and led to an increase in overall activity counts. All individuals had free running rhythms in constant darkness, with a period shorter than 24 h, which is consistent with other nocturnal rodents. This demonstrates that vlei rats are more active in darker conditions, likely as a means of avoiding diurnal avian predators in wetland habitats. With this species at risk of local extinction, this study is an important first step in understanding the behaviour of vlei rats under controlled conditions. As this species is displaced when its habitat becomes disturbed it may act as a useful bioindicator of wetland health and disturbance level.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 114818"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143041073","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 : 2025-01-22DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114817
Danielly D. Aguiar , Ana L.M. Wunderlich , Larissa R.S. Stopa , Rhauany P. Guergolette , Andressa B. Martins , Camila F. Souza , Ana C.V. da Silva , Isabella M.T. Bissochi , Simone Forcato , Ana B.O. Aquino , Dimas A.M. Zaia , Cássia T.B.V. Zaia , Fabio G. de Andrade , Ana C.I. Kiss , Daniela C.C. Gerardin , Ernane T. Uchôa , Cristiane M. Leite
Undernutrition has increased worldwide in recent years and it is known that environmental factors to which individuals are exposed in early life can result in metabolic and reproductive changes that remain in adult life. In this context, the litter size expansion is a classic model used to induce undernutrition early in development. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of neonatal undernutrition induced by the litter size expansion on metabolic and reproductive parameters of female rats. At birth, litter size was adjusted to large (LL - 16 pups) and normal (NL - 10 pups) litters. After weaning, the feed was offered ad libitum and the animals were euthanized from postnatal day 90, when in proestrus. Neonatal undernutrition resulted in lower body weight from weaning to adulthood, although food intake remained higher in the LL group in this period. These animals exhibited a delayed onset of puberty, demonstrated by a late first estrus, increased values of circulating estradiol, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and number of antral follicles in the ovaries, associated with higher sexual receptivity, without differences in maternal behavior. The LL group also exhibited decreased messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of kisspeptin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the preoptic area, without changes in the mRNA expression of GnRH receptor in the pituitary. These results demonstrate that moderate undernutrition in the lactational period promotes metabolic changes associated with impairments in the kisspeptin-GnRH pathway, without compromising maternal behavior and peripheral reproductive functions such as estrous cyclicity, sexual receptivity, and fertility.
{"title":"Postnatal undernutrition increases estradiol plasma levels and sexual receptivity and disrupts the kisspeptin-GnRH pathway in adult female rats","authors":"Danielly D. Aguiar , Ana L.M. Wunderlich , Larissa R.S. Stopa , Rhauany P. Guergolette , Andressa B. Martins , Camila F. Souza , Ana C.V. da Silva , Isabella M.T. Bissochi , Simone Forcato , Ana B.O. Aquino , Dimas A.M. Zaia , Cássia T.B.V. Zaia , Fabio G. de Andrade , Ana C.I. Kiss , Daniela C.C. Gerardin , Ernane T. Uchôa , Cristiane M. Leite","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114817","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114817","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Undernutrition has increased worldwide in recent years and it is known that environmental factors to which individuals are exposed in early life can result in metabolic and reproductive changes that remain in adult life. In this context, the litter size expansion is a classic model used to induce undernutrition early in development. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of neonatal undernutrition induced by the litter size expansion on metabolic and reproductive parameters of female rats. At birth, litter size was adjusted to large (LL - 16 pups) and normal (NL - 10 pups) litters. After weaning, the feed was offered <em>ad libitum</em> and the animals were euthanized from postnatal day 90, when in proestrus. Neonatal undernutrition resulted in lower body weight from weaning to adulthood, although food intake remained higher in the LL group in this period. These animals exhibited a delayed onset of puberty, demonstrated by a late first estrus, increased values of circulating estradiol, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and number of antral follicles in the ovaries, associated with higher sexual receptivity, without differences in maternal behavior. The LL group also exhibited decreased messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of kisspeptin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the preoptic area, without changes in the mRNA expression of GnRH receptor in the pituitary. These results demonstrate that moderate undernutrition in the lactational period promotes metabolic changes associated with impairments in the kisspeptin-GnRH pathway, without compromising maternal behavior and peripheral reproductive functions such as estrous cyclicity, sexual receptivity, and fertility.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 114817"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143041070","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}
Cross-modal interactions between sensory modalities may be necessary for recognition of chewing food by the invisible oral cavity to avoid damaging the tongue and/or oral mucosa. The present study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to investigate whether the food properties hardness and size influence activities in the posterior parietal cortex and visual cortex during chewing performance in healthy individuals. It was found that an increase in food hardness enhanced both posterior parietal cortex and visual cortex activities, while an increase in food size enhanced activities in the same regions. These findings suggested a quantitative relationship of oral food properties with activities in the brain regions responsible for object recognition and visuospatial processing. It is thus concluded that heightened neural activities in the posterior parietal cortex and visual area reflect an increased demand for cross-modal representation of food properties related to chewing.
{"title":"Food properties modulate activities in posterior parietal and visual cortex during chewing","authors":"Noriyuki Narita , Sunao Iwaki , Tomohiro Ishii , Kazunobu Kamiya , Michiharu Shimosaka , Hidenori Yamaguchi , Takeshi Uchida , Ikuo Kantake , Koh Shibutani","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114816","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114816","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cross-modal interactions between sensory modalities may be necessary for recognition of chewing food by the invisible oral cavity to avoid damaging the tongue and/or oral mucosa. The present study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to investigate whether the food properties hardness and size influence activities in the posterior parietal cortex and visual cortex during chewing performance in healthy individuals. It was found that an increase in food hardness enhanced both posterior parietal cortex and visual cortex activities, while an increase in food size enhanced activities in the same regions. These findings suggested a quantitative relationship of oral food properties with activities in the brain regions responsible for object recognition and visuospatial processing. It is thus concluded that heightened neural activities in the posterior parietal cortex and visual area reflect an increased demand for cross-modal representation of food properties related to chewing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"292 ","pages":"Article 114816"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143029296","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 : 2025-01-19DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114815
Xiaoyu Zhang , Freddy Maso , Brigitte Ekpe-Lordonnois , Tom Poncelet , Gael Ennequin , Anthony J. Blazevich , Sébastien Ratel
Perceptual-cognitive skills are determinant for sports performance in young athletes. The present study aimed to clarify how maturity status influences perceptual-cognitive skills with consideration of training background and stereopsis. One hundred and sixty-six 10- to 16-year-old male participants were divided into eight groups based on their training background (moderately-trained: 1–2 weekly sessions; well-trained: 4–5 weekly sessions) and maturity status (Pre-Pubertal1 < -2 years from APHV, Pre-Pubertal2 = -2 to -0.5 years from APHV, Pubertal = -0.49 to +0.5 years from APHV, Post-Pubertal > +0.5 year from APHV). Perceptual-cognitive skills were evaluated using a previously validated 3D-MOT task (i.e., the NeuroTrackerMT) with (3D) and without (2D) stereoscopic conditions. Pre-Pubertal1 before ∼13 years had significantly lower scores than their older counterparts (p < 0.05 at least), while no significant differences were observed between Pre-Pubertal2, Pubertal, and Post-Pubertal children. In addition, significantly higher scores were found under the 3D condition regardless of maturity status and training background (p < 0.001). Finally, no significant effects of training background or interaction between training background, stereopsis, and maturity status were found on NeuroTrackerMT performance scores. In conclusion, the present results show that maturity status positively impacts perceptual-cognitive skill development until the age of ∼13 years but that stereopsis-related advantage is not dependent on maturity status between 10 and 16 years. While no significant differences were observed between well- and moderately-trained children, high inter-individual variability regardless of stereopsis indicates that perceptual-cognitive skill evaluation during childhood and early adolescence may be useful for talent identification and long-term athlete development purposes.
{"title":"Effects of maturity status, training background and stereopsis on perceptual-cognitive skills from childhood into adolescence","authors":"Xiaoyu Zhang , Freddy Maso , Brigitte Ekpe-Lordonnois , Tom Poncelet , Gael Ennequin , Anthony J. Blazevich , Sébastien Ratel","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114815","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114815","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Perceptual-cognitive skills are determinant for sports performance in young athletes. The present study aimed to clarify how maturity status influences perceptual-cognitive skills with consideration of training background and stereopsis. One hundred and sixty-six 10- to 16-year-old male participants were divided into eight groups based on their training background (moderately-trained: 1–2 weekly sessions; well-trained: 4–5 weekly sessions) and maturity status (Pre-Pubertal<sub>1</sub> < -2 years from APHV, Pre-Pubertal<sub>2</sub> = -2 to -0.5 years from APHV, Pubertal = -0.49 to +0.5 years from APHV, Post-Pubertal > +0.5 year from APHV). Perceptual-cognitive skills were evaluated using a previously validated 3D-MOT task (i.e., the NeuroTracker<sup>MT</sup>) with (3D) and without (2D) stereoscopic conditions. Pre-Pubertal<sub>1</sub> before ∼13 years had significantly lower scores than their older counterparts (<em>p</em> < 0.05 at least), while no significant differences were observed between Pre-Pubertal<sub>2</sub>, Pubertal, and Post-Pubertal children. In addition, significantly higher scores were found under the 3D condition regardless of maturity status and training background (<em>p</em> < 0.001). Finally, no significant effects of training background or interaction between training background, stereopsis, and maturity status were found on NeuroTracker<sup>MT</sup> performance scores. In conclusion, the present results show that maturity status positively impacts perceptual-cognitive skill development until the age of ∼13 years but that stereopsis-related advantage is not dependent on maturity status between 10 and 16 years. While no significant differences were observed between well- and moderately-trained children, high inter-individual variability regardless of stereopsis indicates that perceptual-cognitive skill evaluation during childhood and early adolescence may be useful for talent identification and long-term athlete development purposes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 114815"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143009470","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 : 2025-01-16DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114813
Nouf W. Alfouzan , Manabu T. Nakamura
Food cravings increase calorie-dense food intake, contributing to weight gain. Although reductions in food cravings are frequently reported during weight loss, it remains unclear whether these changes are sustained during weight maintenance. The study objective was to investigate associations between food cravings and weight changes in a 12-month weight loss trial followed by 12 months of maintenance. Thirty adults participated in a dietary weight loss program that included craving coping strategies, daily weigh-ins and food craving assessments every six months. Twenty-four and twenty participants remained at 12 and 24 months, respectively. Craving frequency and traits decreased during weight loss and stabilized during maintenance. Changes in general food (FCI), sweet, and carbohydrate cravings at 6 months predicted weight change over 24 months. The craving-weight correlations persisted during weight maintenance. Participants achieving >5 % weight loss at 24 months (n = 13) consistently reduced craving traits and FCI, while those with <5 % weight loss (n = 7) showed no significant change. Differences between the groups become significant at 18 and 24 months for craving traits and at 24 months for FCI. Participants who included craved foods into a balanced meal (n = 16) achieved greater weight loss and greater reduction in sweet and high-fat food cravings compared to those who did not (n = 8) at 12 months. This study showed a strong correlation between successful weight loss/maintenance and reduced food cravings, whereas users of the craving control strategy achieved greater weight loss. These results suggest that weight loss reduces cravings, and controlling cravings, in turn, further accelerates weight loss.
{"title":"Reduced food cravings correlated with a 24-month period of weight loss and weight maintenance","authors":"Nouf W. Alfouzan , Manabu T. Nakamura","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114813","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.114813","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food cravings increase calorie-dense food intake, contributing to weight gain. Although reductions in food cravings are frequently reported during weight loss, it remains unclear whether these changes are sustained during weight maintenance. The study objective was to investigate associations between food cravings and weight changes in a 12-month weight loss trial followed by 12 months of maintenance. Thirty adults participated in a dietary weight loss program that included craving coping strategies, daily weigh-ins and food craving assessments every six months. Twenty-four and twenty participants remained at 12 and 24 months, respectively. Craving frequency and traits decreased during weight loss and stabilized during maintenance. Changes in general food (FCI), sweet, and carbohydrate cravings at 6 months predicted weight change over 24 months. The craving-weight correlations persisted during weight maintenance. Participants achieving >5 % weight loss at 24 months (<em>n</em> = 13) consistently reduced craving traits and FCI, while those with <5 % weight loss (<em>n</em> = 7) showed no significant change. Differences between the groups become significant at 18 and 24 months for craving traits and at 24 months for FCI. Participants who included craved foods into a balanced meal (<em>n</em> = 16) achieved greater weight loss and greater reduction in sweet and high-fat food cravings compared to those who did not (<em>n</em> = 8) at 12 months. This study showed a strong correlation between successful weight loss/maintenance and reduced food cravings, whereas users of the craving control strategy achieved greater weight loss. These results suggest that weight loss reduces cravings, and controlling cravings, in turn, further accelerates weight loss.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"291 ","pages":"Article 114813"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2025-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143009473","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}
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