Cited by 355Tryptophan and brain disordersTreatment of Major DepressionRegulation of Appetite and Obesity

High-Fat Diet Induced Anxiety and Anhedonia: Impact on Brain Homeostasis and Inflammation

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Dutheil, Sophie, Ota, Kristie T, Wohleb, Eric S, Rasmussen, Kurt, Duman, Ronald S·2016·Neuropsychopharmacology

Abstract

Depression and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are highly comorbid disorders that carry a large public health burden. However, there is a clear lack of knowledge of the neural pathological pathways underlying these illnesses. The present study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which a diet rich in fat can cause multiple complications in the brain, thereby affecting intracellular signaling and gene expression that underlie anxiety and depressive behaviors. The results show that a high-fat diet (HFD; ~16 weeks) causes anxiety and anhedonic behaviors. Importantly, the results also show that 4 months of HFD causes disruption of intracellular cascades involved in synaptic plasticity and insulin signaling/glucose homeostasis (ie, Akt, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), P70S6K), as well as increased corticosterone levels and activation of the innate immune system, including elevation of inflammatory cytokines (ie, IL-6, IL-1β, TNFα). Interestingly, the rapid acting antidepressant ketamine reverses the behavioral deficits caused by HFD and activates ERK and P70S6 kinase signaling in the prefrontal cortex. In addition, we found that pharmacological blockade of the innate immune inflammasome system by repeated administration of an inhibitor of the purinergic P2X7 receptor blocks the anxiety caused by HFD. Together these studies further elucidate the signaling pathways that underlie chronic HFD exposure on anxiety and depressive behaviors, and identify novel therapeutic targets for patients with metabolic disorder or T2D who suffer from anxiety and depression.

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  • Consumption of a high-fat diet for approximately 16 weeks results in anxiety and anhedonic behaviors, and 4 months of HFD consumption results in increased levels of corticosterone and blood glucose, which activate the innate immune system, increasing release of inflammatory cytokines.

    “Consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD; for approximately 16 weeks) results in anxiety and anhedonic behaviors, and 4 months of HFD consumption results in increased levels of corticosterone and blood glucose, which also activate the innate immune system, increasing the release of inflammatory cytokines (i.e., IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α).”

    From Major depressive disorder: hypothesis, mechanism, prevention and treatment (2024) · cites this paper as [239]

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  • Giving HFD-fed rats a P2X7R antagonist greatly alleviates their anxiety.

    “Additionally, giving HFD-fed rats a P2X 7 R antagonist greatly alleviates their anxiety. 239”
  • The behavioral abnormalities that arise from long-term consumption of a HFD are quickly reversed by ketamine.

    “The behavioral abnormalities that arise from long-term consumption of a HFD are quickly reversed by ketamine.”

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  1. [23]23. Iwata M, Ota KT, Li XYi, Sakaue F, Li N, Dutheil S et al (2016). Psychological stress activates the inflammasome via release of ATP and stimulation of the P2X7 receptor. Biol Psychiatry (in press).

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Authors
Dutheil, S., Ota, K. T., Wohleb, E. S., Rasmussen, K., & Duman, R. S.
Affiliations
  • Yale University (US)
  • Eli Lilly (United States) (US)
Corresponding author
Duman, Ronald S
Venue
Neuropsychopharmacology
Published
2015-12-14
Volume
41
Issue
7
Pages
1874-1887
ISSN
  • 0893-133X (ISSN-L)
  • 1740-634X
OpenAlex
W2205259970
Cited by
355
References
62
Citations by year
2026: 24 · 2025: 35 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 48 · 2021: 51 · 2020: 46 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 9
FWCI
4.72
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neuropsychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
Keywords
high-fat diet, anxiety, anhedonia, depression, type 2 diabetes, insulin signaling, synaptic plasticity, corticosterone, innate immune activation, inflammatory cytokines, inflammasome, P2X7 receptor, ketamine, prefrontal cortex, neuroinflammation
MeSH terms
Animals, Anxiety, Body Weight, Brain, Corticosterone, Disease Models, Animal, Exploratory Behavior, Feeding Behavior, Food Preferences, Gene Expression Regulation, Guanidines, Hyperglycemia, Inflammation, Male, Quinolines, Signal Transduction, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Recognition, Psychology, Rats, Diet, High-Fat, Anhedonia

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