Cognitive Performance during the Development of Diabetes in the Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rat.

Increased insulin levels may support the development of neural circuits involved in cognition, while chronic mild inflammation may also result in cognitive impairment. This study aimed to gain more insight into whether cognition is already impacted during adolescence in a genetic rat model for obesity and type 2 diabetes. Visual discrimination learning throughout adolescence and the level of motivation during early adulthood were investigated in Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) obese and ZDF lean rats using operant touchscreens.

Identification of Cholecystokinin by Genome-Wide Profiling as Potential Mediator of Serotonin-Dependent Behavioral Effects of Maternal Separation in the Amygdala.

Converging evidence suggests a role of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), the rate-limiting enzyme of 5-HT synthesis in the brain, in modulating long-term, neurobiological effects of early-life adversity. Here, we aimed at further elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying this interaction, and its consequences for socio-emotional behaviors, with a focus on anxiety and social interaction. In this study, adult, male null mutant ( ) and heterozygous ( ) mice, and their wildtype littermates ( ) were exposed to neonatal, maternal separation (MS) and screened for behavioral changes, followed by genome-wide RNA expression and DNA methylation profiling.