Perinatal exposure to lead alters male reproductive behaviour and immunoreactivity of androgen and oestrogen receptors in the brain.

Lead (Pb) exposure during perinatal development alters testosterone (T) concentrations and delays puberty in children and laboratory rodents. In addition, exposure to the metal during adult life decreases T and libido in men and affects male reproductive behaviour (MRB) in rats. MRB is regulated by various brain nuclei including the medial preoptic area (MPOa) and the medial amygdala (MeA), in which T and oestradiol (E) act through their respective androgen (AR) and oestrogen (ER) receptors.

Zinc and Its Impact on the Function of the Testicle and Epididymis.

Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element; it exhibits a plethora of physiological properties and biochemical functions. It plays a pivotal role in regulating the cell cycle, apoptosis, and DNA organization, as well as in protein, lipid, and carbohydrate metabolism. Among other important processes, Zn plays an essential role in reproductive health.

Importance of Selected Nutrients and Additives in the Feed of Pregnant Sows for the Survival of Newborn Piglets.

This systematic review analyzed the effect of selected nutrients and additives in the feed of pregnant sows on the survival of newborn piglets. We analyzed 720 peer-reviewed publications in English in PubMed and Web of Science, dated July 2023 to January 2024, related to the effect of dietary supplementation with fatty acids and various percentages of protein, amino acids, and/or sources of dietary fiber on the offspring of gestating sows. While several papers evaluated the effect of nutrition on gestating sows, only a few delved into the distinct feeding strategies required at each stage of gestation to meet the NRC's nutritional requirements for maternal tissue gain and postnatal neonatal survival and growth.

Inhaled Litsea glaucescens K. (Lauraceae) leaves' essential oil has anxiolytic and antidepressant-like activity in mice by BDNF pathway activation.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Litsea glaucescens K. (Lauraceae) is a small tree from the Mexican and Central American temperate forests, named as "Laurel". Its aromatic leaves are ordinarily consumed as condiments, but also are important in Mexican Traditional Medicine, and among the most important non wood forest products in this area.

Alterations of learning and memory are accompanied by alterations in the expression of 5-HT receptors, glucocorticoid receptor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor in different brain regions of an animal model of depression generated by neonatally male treatment with clomipramine in male rats.

Depressive illness has been associated with impaired cognitive processes accompanied by reduced neurotrophin levels, especially brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and dysfunctions in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In addition, depression is characterized by a decreased functioning of the serotonergic system due to changes in the activity or expression of its receptors including, most significantly, 5-HT1A, 5-HT2A, and 5-HT3 in brain regions that regulate mood, emotions, and memory, such as the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and amygdala. In this regard, rats treated with clomipramine (CMI) in the neonatal stage show depression-like behaviors that persist into adulthood; hence, this constitutes an adequate model of depression for exploring various molecular aspects associated with the etiology of this disorder.