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Hayes AMR, Lauer LT, Kao AE, Sun S, Klug ME, Tsan L, Rea JJ, Subramanian KS, Gu C, Tanios N, Ahuja A, Donohue KN, Décarie-Spain L, Fodor AA, Kanoski SE. Western diet consumption impairs memory function via dysregulated hippocampus acetylcholine signaling. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 118:408-422. [PMID: 38461956 PMCID: PMC11033683 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Western diet (WD) consumption during early life developmental periods is associated with impaired memory function, particularly for hippocampus (HPC)-dependent processes. We developed an early life WD rodent model associated with long-lasting HPC dysfunction to investigate the neurobiological mechanisms mediating these effects. Rats received either a cafeteria-style WD (ad libitum access to various high-fat/high-sugar foods; CAF) or standard healthy chow (CTL) during the juvenile and adolescent stages (postnatal days 26-56). Behavioral and metabolic assessments were performed both before and after a healthy diet intervention period beginning at early adulthood. Results revealed HPC-dependent contextual episodic memory impairments in CAF rats that persisted despite the healthy diet intervention. Given that dysregulated HPC acetylcholine (ACh) signaling is associated with memory impairments in humans and animal models, we examined protein markers of ACh tone in the dorsal HPC (HPCd) in CAF and CTL rats. Results revealed significantly lower protein levels of vesicular ACh transporter in the HPCd of CAF vs. CTL rats, indicating chronically reduced ACh tone. Using intensity-based ACh sensing fluorescent reporter (iAChSnFr) in vivo fiber photometry targeting the HPCd, we next revealed that ACh release during object-contextual novelty recognition was highly predictive of memory performance and was disrupted in CAF vs. CTL rats. Neuropharmacological results showed that alpha 7 nicotinic ACh receptor agonist infusion in the HPCd during training rescued memory deficits in CAF rats. Overall, these findings reveal a functional connection linking early life WD intake with long-lasting dysregulation of HPC ACh signaling, thereby identifying an underlying mechanism for WD-associated memory impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M R Hayes
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Logan Tierno Lauer
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alicia E Kao
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shan Sun
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Molly E Klug
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Linda Tsan
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jessica J Rea
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Keshav S Subramanian
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cindy Gu
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Natalie Tanios
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Arun Ahuja
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kristen N Donohue
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Léa Décarie-Spain
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anthony A Fodor
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Scott E Kanoski
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Hayes AMR, Kao AE, Ahuja A, Subramanian KS, Klug ME, Rea JJ, Nourbash AC, Tsan L, Kanoski SE. Early- but not late-adolescent Western diet consumption programs for long-lasting memory impairments in male but not female rats. Appetite 2024; 194:107150. [PMID: 38049033 PMCID: PMC11033621 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Early life Western diet (WD) consumption leads to impaired memory function, particularly for processes mediated by the hippocampus. However, the precise critical developmental window(s) during which WD exposure negatively impacts hippocampal function are unknown. Here, we exposed male and female rats to a WD model involving free access to a variety of high-fat and/or high-sugar food and drink items during either the early-adolescent period (postnatal days [PN] 26-41; WD-EA) or late-adolescent period (PN 41-56; WD-LA). Control (CTL) rats were given healthy standard chow throughout both periods. To evaluate long-lasting memory capacity well beyond the early life WD exposure periods, we performed behavioral assessments after both a short (4 weeks for WD-EA, 2 weeks for WD-LA) and long (12 weeks for WD-EA, 10 weeks for WD-LA) period of healthy diet intervention. Results revealed no differences in body weight or body composition between diet groups, regardless of sex. Following the shorter period of healthy diet intervention, both male and female WD-EA and WD-LA rats showed deficits in hippocampal-dependent memory compared to CTL rats. Following the longer healthy diet intervention period, memory impairments persisted in male WD-EA but not WD-LA rats. In contrast, in female rats the longer healthy diet intervention reversed the initial memory impairments in both WD-EA and WD-LA rats. Collectively, these findings reveal that early-adolescence is a critical period of long-lasting hippocampal vulnerability to dietary insults in male but not female rats, thus highlighting developmental- and sex-specific effects mediating the relationship between the early life nutritional environment and long-term cognitive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M R Hayes
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alicia E Kao
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Arun Ahuja
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Keshav S Subramanian
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Molly E Klug
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jessica J Rea
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anna C Nourbash
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Linda Tsan
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Scott E Kanoski
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
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Hayes AMR, Kao AE, Ahuja A, Subramanian KS, Klug ME, Rea JJ, Nourbash AC, Tsan L, Kanoski SE. Early- but not late-adolescent Western diet consumption programs for long-lasting memory impairments in male but not female rats. bioRxiv 2023:2023.10.24.563808. [PMID: 37961703 PMCID: PMC10634796 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.24.563808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Early life Western diet (WD) consumption leads to impaired memory function, particularly for processes mediated by the hippocampus. However, the precise critical developmental window(s) during which WD exposure negatively impacts hippocampal function are unknown. Here, we exposed male and female rats to a WD model involving free access to a variety of high-fat and/or high-sugar food and drink items during either the early-adolescent period (postnatal days [PN] 26-41; WD-EA) or late-adolescent period (PN 41-56; WD-LA). Control (CTL) rats were given healthy standard chow throughout both periods. To evaluate long-lasting memory capacity well beyond the early life WD exposure periods, we performed behavioral assessments after both a short (4 weeks for WD-EA, 2 weeks for WD-LA) and long (12 weeks for WD-EA, 10 weeks for WD-LA) period of healthy diet intervention. Results revealed no differences in body weight or body composition between diet groups, regardless of sex. Following the shorter period of healthy diet intervention, both male and female WD-EA and WD-LA rats showed deficits in hippocampal-dependent memory compared to CTL rats. Following the longer healthy diet intervention period, memory impairments persisted in male WD-EA but not WD-LA rats. In contrast, in female rats the longer healthy diet intervention reversed the initial memory impairments in both WD-EA and WD-LA rats. Collectively, these findings reveal that early-adolescence is a critical period of long-lasting hippocampal vulnerability to dietary insults in male but not female rats, thus highlighting developmental- and sex-specific effects mediating the relationship between the early life nutritional environment and long-term cognitive health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. R. Hayes
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alicia E. Kao
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Arun Ahuja
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Keshav S. Subramanian
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Molly E. Klug
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jessica J. Rea
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anna C. Nourbash
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Linda Tsan
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Scott E. Kanoski
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Hayes AMR, Lauer LT, Kao AE, Sun S, Klug ME, Tsan L, Rea JJ, Subramanian KS, Gu C, Tanios N, Ahuja A, Donohue KN, Décarie-Spain L, Fodor AA, Kanoski SE. Western diet consumption impairs memory function via dysregulated hippocampus acetylcholine signaling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.21.550120. [PMID: 37546790 PMCID: PMC10401939 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.21.550120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Western diet (WD) consumption during development yields long-lasting memory impairments, yet the underlying neurobiological mechanisms remain elusive. Here we developed an early life WD rodent model to evaluate whether dysregulated hippocampus (HPC) acetylcholine (ACh) signaling, a pathology associated with memory impairment in human dementia, is causally-related to WD-induced cognitive impairment. Rats received a cafeteria-style WD (access to various high-fat/high-sugar foods; CAF) or healthy chow (CTL) during the juvenile and adolescent periods (postnatal days 26-56). Behavioral, metabolic, and microbiome assessments were performed both before and after a 30-day healthy diet intervention beginning at early adulthood. Results revealed CAF-induced HPC-dependent contextual episodic memory impairments that persisted despite healthy diet intervention, whereas CAF was not associated with long-term changes in body weight, body composition, glucose tolerance, anxiety-like behavior, or gut microbiome. HPC immunoblot analyses after the healthy diet intervention identified reduced levels of vesicular ACh transporter in CAF vs. CTL rats, indicative of chronically reduced HPC ACh tone. To determine whether these changes were functionally related to memory impairments, we evaluated temporal HPC ACh binding via ACh-sensing fluorescent reporter in vivo fiber photometry during memory testing, as well as whether the memory impairments could be rescued pharmacologically. Results revealed dynamic HPC ACh binding during object-contextual novelty recognition was highly predictive of memory performance and was disrupted in CAF vs. CTL rats. Further, HPC alpha-7 nicotinic receptor agonist infusion during consolidation rescued memory deficits in CAF rats. Overall, these findings identify dysregulated HPC ACh signaling as a mechanism underlying early life WD-associated memory impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M R Hayes
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Logan Tierno Lauer
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alicia E Kao
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Shan Sun
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Molly E Klug
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Linda Tsan
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jessica J Rea
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Keshav S Subramanian
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Cindy Gu
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Natalie Tanios
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Arun Ahuja
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Kristen N Donohue
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Léa Décarie-Spain
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anthony A Fodor
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Scott E Kanoski
- Human and Evolutionary Biology Section, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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