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Zhang X, Wang H, Kilpatrick LA, Dong TS, Gee GC, Labus JS, Osadchiy V, Beltran-Sanchez H, Wang MC, Vaughan A, Gupta A. Discrimination exposure impacts unhealthy processing of food cues: crosstalk between the brain and gut. NATURE MENTAL HEALTH 2023; 1:841-852. [PMID: 38094040 PMCID: PMC10718506 DOI: 10.1038/s44220-023-00134-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Experiences of discrimination are associated with adverse health outcomes, including obesity. However, the mechanisms by which discrimination leads to obesity remain unclear. Utilizing multi-omics analyses of neuroimaging and fecal metabolites, we investigated the impact of discrimination exposure on brain reactivity to food images and associated dysregulations in the brain-gut-microbiome system. We show that discrimination is associated with increased food-cue reactivity in frontal-striatal regions involved in reward, motivation and executive control; altered glutamate-pathway metabolites involved in oxidative stress and inflammation as well as preference for unhealthy foods. Associations between discrimination-related brain and gut signatures were skewed towards unhealthy sweet foods after adjusting for age, diet, body mass index, race and socioeconomic status. Discrimination, as a stressor, may contribute to enhanced food-cue reactivity and brain-gut-microbiome disruptions that can promote unhealthy eating behaviors, leading to increased risk for obesity. Treatments that normalize these alterations may benefit individuals who experience discrimination-related stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaobei Zhang
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hao Wang
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- School of Physics and Optoelectronic Engineering, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Lisa A. Kilpatrick
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Tien S. Dong
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Goodman–Luskin Microbiome Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Gilbert C. Gee
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- California Center for Population Research, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer S. Labus
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Goodman–Luskin Microbiome Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Vadim Osadchiy
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Urology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Hiram Beltran-Sanchez
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- California Center for Population Research, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - May C. Wang
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Community Health Sciences Fielding School of Public Health, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Allison Vaughan
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Arpana Gupta
- G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Goodman–Luskin Microbiome Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Ma Q, Wonnacott S, Bailey SJ, Bailey CP. Sex Differences in Brain Region-Specific Activation of c-Fos following Kappa Opioid Receptor Stimulation or Acute Stress in Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15098. [PMID: 37894779 PMCID: PMC10606335 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptors (KOPr) are involved in the response to stress. KOPr are also targets for the treatment of stress-related psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, and addiction although effects of KOPr are often sex-dependent. Here we investigated c-Fos expression in a range of brain regions in male and female mice following an acute stressor, and a single injection of KOPr agonist. Using adult C57BL/6 c-Fos-GFP transgenic mice and quantitative fluorescence microscopy, we identified brain regions activated in response to a challenge with the KOPr agonist U50,488 (20 mg/kg) or an acute stress (15 min forced swim stress, FSS). In male mice, U50,488 increased expression of c-Fos in the prelimbic area of the prefrontal cortex (PFCx), nucleus accumbens (NAcc), and basolateral nuclei of the amygdala (BLA). In contrast, in female mice U50,488 only activated the BLA but not the PFCx or the NAcc. FSS increased activation of PFCx, NAcc, and BLA in males while there was no activation of the PFCx in female mice. In both sexes, the KOPr antagonist norBNI significantly blocked U50,488-induced, but not stress-induced activation of brain regions. In separate experiments, activated cells were confirmed as non-GABAergic neurons in the PFCx and NAcc. Together these data demonstrate sex differences in activation of brain regions that are key components of the 'reward' circuitry. These differential responses may contribute to sex differences in stress-related psychiatric disorders and in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sarah J. Bailey
- Correspondence: (S.J.B.); (C.P.B.); Tel.: +44-(0)1225-383-935 (C.P.B.)
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