title: Diet-induced effects on neuronal and glial elements in the middle-aged rat hippocampus.
abstract: Consumption of a high-fat and/or high-cholesterol diet can have detrimental effects on the brain. In the present study, dietary treatment with saturated fats, trans fats, or cholesterol to middle-aged Fischer 344 rats resulted in alterations to serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels, organ weights, and hippocampal morphology. Previously, we demonstrated that a 10% hydrogenated coconut oil and 2% cholesterol diet resulted in worse performance on the 12-day water radial arm maze, increased cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and decreased dendritic microtubule associated protein 2 (MAP2) staining in the hippocampus. The diets administered herein were used to examine components from the previous diet and further examine their effects on hippocampal morphology. Specifically, neuronal morphology, dendritic integrity, fatty acid metabolism, microgliosis, and blood vessel structure in the hippocampus and/or adjacent structures were explored. Our results indicate alterations to peripheral and neural systems following each of the diets.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosciences and the Center on Aging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. freemal@musc.edu
authors.forename: Linnea R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Haley-Zitlin
authors.forename: Cheryl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: Ann-Charlotte
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Granholm
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D001823:Body Composition; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D004041:Dietary Fats; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D014280:Triglycerides