Combined space stressors induce independent behavioral deficits predicted by early peripheral blood monocytes.

Interplanetary space travel poses many hazards to the human body. To protect astronaut health and performance on critical missions, there is first a need to understand the effects of deep space hazards, including ionizing radiation, confinement, and altered gravity. Previous studies of rodents exposed to a single such stressor document significant deficits, but our study is the first to investigate possible cumulative and synergistic impacts of simultaneous ionizing radiation, confinement, and altered gravity on behavior and cognition.

Geranylgeraniol and Green Tea Polyphenols Mitigate Negative Effects of a High-Fat Diet on Skeletal Muscle and the Gut Microbiome in Male C57BL/6J Mice.

Natural bioactive compounds are proposed as alternatives in mitigating obesity-associated skeletal muscle dysfunction. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that the combination of geranylgeraniol (GGOH) and green tea polyphenols (GTPs) can alleviate high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced muscle atrophy and alter gut microbiome composition. Male C57BL/6J mice fed an HFD were assigned to four groups (12 mice each) in a 2 (no GGOH vs.

Aberrant cortical spine dynamics after concussive injury are reversed by integrated stress response inhibition.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of long-term neurological disability in the world and the strongest environmental risk factor for the development of dementia. Even mild TBI (resulting from concussive injuries) is associated with a greater than twofold increase in the risk of dementia onset. Little is known about the cellular mechanisms responsible for the progression of long-lasting cognitive deficits.

The impact of deep space radiation on cognitive performance: From biological sex to biomarkers to countermeasures.

In the coming decade, astronauts will travel back to the moon in preparation for future Mars missions. Exposure to galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) is a major obstacle for deep space travel. Using multivariate principal components analysis, we found sex-dimorphic responses in mice exposed to accelerated charged particles to simulate GCR (GCRsim); males displayed impaired spatial learning, whereas females did not.

Microglia: Ally and Enemy in Deep Space.

In 2024 the first female astronaut will land on the moon, advancing our preparations for human missions to Mars. While on Earth we are protected from space radiation by our planet's magnetic field, on such deep space voyages astronauts will be exposed to high energy particles from solar flares and galactic cosmic rays (GCR). This exposure carries risks to the central nervous system (CNS) that could jeopardize the mission and astronaut health.

Small molecule cognitive enhancer reverses age-related memory decline in mice.

With increased life expectancy, age-associated cognitive decline becomes a growing concern, even in the absence of recognizable neurodegenerative disease. The integrated stress response (ISR) is activated during aging and contributes to age-related brain phenotypes. We demonstrate that treatment with the drug-like small-molecule ISR inhibitor ISRIB reverses ISR activation in the brain, as indicated by decreased levels of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and phosphorylated eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF2.

Integrated Stress Response Inhibitor Reverses Sex-Dependent Behavioral and Cell-Specific Deficits after Mild Repetitive Head Trauma.

Mild repetitive traumatic brain injury (rTBI) induces chronic behavioral and cognitive alterations and increases the risk for dementia. Currently, there are no therapeutic strategies to prevent or mitigate chronic deficits associated with rTBI. Previously we developed an animal model of rTBI that recapitulates the cognitive and behavioral deficits observed in humans.

Maternal exercise before and during pregnancy alleviates metabolic dysfunction associated with high-fat diet in pregnant mice, without significant changes in gut microbiota.

Although maternal exercise before and during pregnancy is beneficial, the effects of exercise on microbiota changes during pregnancy are unknown. Here we tested the hypothesis that maternal exercise before and during pregnancy would positively affect glucose homeostasis, pancreatic cell function, and gut microbiota dysbiosis in high-fat diet (HFD) fed dams. Female C57BL/6 mice were fed either a HFD or a low-fat diet (LFD) for 12 weeks.

Female mice are protected from space radiation-induced maladaptive responses.

Interplanetary exploration will be humankind's most ambitious expedition and the journey required to do so, is as intimidating as it is intrepid. One major obstacle for successful deep space travel is the possible negative effects of galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) exposure. Here, we investigate for the first time how combined GCR impacts long-term behavioral and cellular responses in male and female mice.

Author Correction: Temporary microglia-depletion after cosmic radiation modifies phagocytic activity and prevents cognitive deficits.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has not been fixed in the paper.

Temporary microglia-depletion after cosmic radiation modifies phagocytic activity and prevents cognitive deficits.

Microglia are the main immune component in the brain that can regulate neuronal health and synapse function. Exposure to cosmic radiation can cause long-term cognitive impairments in rodent models thereby presenting potential obstacles for astronauts engaged in deep space travel. The mechanism/s for how cosmic radiation induces cognitive deficits are currently unknown.

The time course of short-term hypertrophy in the absence of eccentric muscle damage.

Background: It has been proposed that the increase in skeletal muscle mass observed during the initial weeks of initiating a resistance training program is concomitant with eccentric muscle damage and edema.

Purpose: We examined the time course of muscle hypertrophy during 4 weeks of concentric-only resistance training.

Methods: Thirteen untrained men performed unilateral concentric-only dumbbell curls and shoulder presses twice per week for 4 weeks.