Efeito da suplementação com ômega-3 em comportamento relacionado à ansiedade em camundongos alimentados com dieta rica em carboidratos

Abstract

The consumption of high-calorie foods is increasing every year, and consequently, overweight and obesity. Recent pre-clinical studies have shown that chronic consumption of a high-carbohydrate diet increases lipid deposition and induces anxiety-related behaviors in mice. Clinical and pre-clinical studies show that omega-3 supplementation appears to be effective in treating mood and anxiety disorders. Several evidences also point to the role of omega-3 in limiting inflammation and oxidative stress in peripheral tissues and the central nervous system and, therefore, the aim of the study was to verify if its neuroprotection can prevent anxiety-like behavior. Balb/C mice were divided into four groups: i) standard chow and omega-3 treatment; ii) standard chow and vehicle; iii) obesogenic chow and omega-3 treatment; iv) obesogenic chow and vehicle; all diets for 12 weeks and treatments on the last 3 weeks. The animals were subjected to the novelty-suppressed feeding test to assess anxiety-related behavior and were also euthanized and the adipose tissue dissected and weighed. Animals chronically fed a high-carbohydrate diet significantly increased their adiposity index. However, the anxiety-related test revealed no significant difference between the groups treated with the different diets used. The results of the study corroborate with several clinical and preclinical papers indicating the high risk of high carbohydrate diet-induced obesity. It is concluded that further work using different models for obesity induction is needed to evaluate the effect of omega-3.