Early weaning modulates eating behavior and promotes hypofunction of the serotonergic (5HT) system in juvenile male rats.

Early weaning modulates eating behavior and promotes hypofunction of the serotonergic (5HT) system in juvenile male rats. Int J Dev Neurosci. 2020 Feb 21;: Authors: Tavares GA, Cavalcanti do Amaral Almeida L, Araújo de Souza J, Leitão de Souza F, Feitosa Braz GR, Times Silva B, Mayara da Silva Santos A, Jacques Lagranha C, Lopes de Souza S Abstract Early life stress (ELS) has been associated with developmental impairments. Early weaning is a postnatal stress model consisting of interruption of lactation and maternal care. The 5HT-system has been associated with neurobehavioral modulations promoted by ELS. Thus, the present work aims to investigate the effects of early weaning on feeding behavior and serotonergic system of juvenile male rats. For this, rats were submitted to early (PND15) or natural (PND30) weaning and had the body weight, food intake in circadian phases and food intake in response to fenfluramine assessed. mRNA expression of serotoninergic receptors (5HT1A and 5HT2C) and transporter (SERT) was assessed in the hypothalamus and brainstem, as well as NPY and POMC mRNA expression in hypothalamus. The results show that early weaning promoted changes in the percentage of weight gain during lactation period and increase in body weight at PND40. It was also observed increase of food intake in light phase but decrease in dark phase and reduction of serotonin inhibitory action on food intake. In addition, early weaning promo...
Source: International Journal of Developmental Neuroscience - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Int J Dev Neurosci Source Type: research