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Minocycline treatment attenuates neurobehavioural abnormalities and neurostructural aberrations in the medial prefrontal cortex in mice fed a high-fat diet during adolescence.

Brain, behavior, and immunity
April 1, 2025
Yuxi Chen et al. (12 authors)
Journal ArticleAnimal Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to investigate the effects of high-fat diet (HFD) consumption during adolescence on mPFC-related behaviors and underlying mechanisms, including potential protective interventions.

Results Summary

Mice fed a HFD during adolescence developed depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors, increased risk-avoidance behavior, and morphological aberrations in mPFC neurons and microglia. Minocycline administration attenuated these adverse effects.

Population

Adolescent mice

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Throughout adolescence (exact duration not specified)

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (7)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
high-fat diet (HFD) consumption throughout adolescence
increase
depressive-like behaviours
mice
-
developed
#1
high-fat diet (HFD) consumption throughout adolescence
increase
anxiety-like behaviours
mice
-
developed
#2
high-fat diet (HFD) consumption throughout adolescence
increase
risk-avoidance behaviour
mice
-
distinctively increased
#3
high-fat diet (HFD) consumption throughout adolescence
neutral
morphological aberrations of pyramidal neuron in the mPFC
mice
-
accompanied by
#4
high-fat diet (HFD) consumption throughout adolescence
neutral
morphological aberrations of microglia in the mPFC
mice
-
accompanied by
#5
systemic administration of minocycline
decrease
adverse effects of HFD consumption during adolescence on neurobehaviours
mice
-
effectively attenuated
#6
systemic administration of minocycline
decrease
adverse effects of HFD consumption during adolescence on the morphology of pyramidal neurons in the mPFC
mice
-
effectively attenuated
#7
Abstract

A preference for and overconsumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) are common among adolescents and are recognized as risk factors for multiple mental disorders. The protracted maturation of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a key brain structure that plays a critical role in mental functions that are essential for both developing and mature individuals (including emotional processing, decision making, risk assessment, and creative thinking), during adolescence renders it more vulnerable to the environmental insults experienced during this critical developmental window. However, the effects of HFD consumption during adolescence on mPFC-related behaviours and the underlying mechanisms need to be further investigated. In this study, we observed that mice fed a HFD throughout adolescence developed depressive- and anxiety-like behaviours and distinctively increased risk-avoidance behaviour, accompanied by morphological aberrations of both pyramidal neuron and microglia in the mPFC. The systemic administration of minocycline, a well-known broad-spectrum antibiotic, effectively attenuated the adverse effects of HFD consumption during adolescence on neurobehaviours and the morphology of pyramidal neurons in the mPFC. This study provides new insights into the psychological effects of long-term HFD consumption during adolescence and indicates the existence of a window during which microglial stabilization may be a promising strategy to protect against the HFD consumption-induced increase in the risk of psychiatric disorders.

Study Links
Quality Scores
Safety20
Efficacy75/10
Quality80/10
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.05
Weight Score1.30
Normalized Score0.54
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