Chronic variable stress impairs energy metabolism in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of rats: prevention by chronic antioxidant treatment.

Since chronic stress has been used widely for studying clinical depression and that brain energy metabolism and oxidative stress might be involved in the pathophysiology of this illness, the objective of this study was investigate the activities of pyruvate kinase, complex II and IV (cytocrome c oxidase) in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of rats submitted to chronic variable stress. We also evaluated if vitamins E and C administration could prevent such effects. During 40 days adult rats from the stressed group were subjected to one stressor per day, at a different time each day, in order to minimize predictability.

Neonatal handling impairs spatial memory and leads to altered nitric oxide production and DNA breaks in a sex specific manner.

Early life events lead to behavioral and neurochemical changes in adulthood. The aim of this study is to verify the effects of neonatal handling on spatial memory, nitric oxide (NO) production, antioxidant enzymatic activities and DNA breaks in the hippocampus of male and female adult rats. Litters of rats were non-handled or handled (10 min/day, days 1-10 after birth).

Sex-specific differences on caffeine consumption and chronic stress-induced anxiety-like behavior and DNA breaks in the hippocampus.

Caffeine is widely consumed in beverages and food, and its consumption in high doses is associated with anxiety increase. Stress situations are often associated to coffee consumption, and have a strong influence on oxidative DNA damage. As there are sex-specific differences in many metabolic, neurochemical and behavioral aspects, the aim of this study is to verify the interaction between chronic consumption of caffeine and chronic stress on anxiety and DNA breaks in the hippocampus on male and female rats.

Stress effects on rats chronically receiving a highly palatable diet are sex-specific.

The stress response is known to lead to behavioral and metabolic changes. Exposure to chronic stress can promote the development of physiological and behavioral dysfunctions, including alterations in feeding behavior. The aim of this study was to verify whether chronic restraint stress alters the consumption of a highly palatable, highly caloric diet (chocolate), chronically offered to the animals.