Sex differences in the performance of cognitive tasks in a murine model of metabolic syndrome

In Silico and In Vivo Evaluation of the Maqui Berry (Aristotelia chilensis (Mol.) Stuntz) on Biochemical Parameters and Oxidative Stress Markers in a Metabolic Syndrome Model

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex disease that includes metabolic and physiological alterations in various organs such as the heart, pancreas, liver, and brain. Reports indicate that blackberry consumption, such as maqui berry, has a beneficial effect on chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, and diabetes. In the present study, in vivo and in silico studies have been performed to evaluate the molecular mechanisms implied to improve the metabolic parameters of MetS. Fourteen-day administration of maqui berry reduces weight gain, blood fasting glucose, total blood cholesterol, triacylglycerides, insulin resistance, and blood pressure impairment in the diet-induced MetS model in male and female rats. In addition, in the serum of male and female rats, the administration of maqui berry (MB) improved the concentration of MDA, the activity of SOD, and the formation of carbonyls in the group subjected to the diet-induced MetS model. In silico studies revealed that delphinidin and its glycosylated derivatives could be ligands of some metabolic targets such as α-glucosidase, PPAR-α, and PPAR-γ, which are related to MetS parameters. The experimental results obtained in the study suggest that even at low systemic concentrations, anthocyanin glycosides and aglycones could simultaneously act on different targets related to MetS. Therefore, these molecules could be used as coadjuvants in pharmacological interventions or as templates for designing new multitarget molecules to manage patients with MetS.

In Combo Studies for the Optimization of 5-Aminoanthranilic Acid Derivatives as Potential Multitarget Drugs for the Management of Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a set of risk factors that consist of abdominal obesity, arterial hypertension, alterations in the lipid profile, and hyperglycemia. The current therapeutic strategy includes polypharmacy, using three or more drugs to control each syndrome component. However, this approach has drawbacks that could lead to therapeutic failure. Multitarget drugs are molecules with the ability to act on different targets simultaneously and are an attractive alternative for treating complex diseases such as metabolic syndrome. Previously, we identified a triamide derivative of 5-aminoanthranilic acid that exhibited hypoglycemic, hypolipemic, and antihypertensive activities simultaneously. In the present study, we report the synthesis and in combo evaluation of new derivatives of anthranilic acid, intending to identify the primary structural factors that improve the activity over metabolic syndrome-related parameters. We found that substitution on position 5, incorporation of 3,4-dimethoxyphenyl substituents, and having a free carboxylic acid group lead to the in vitro inhibition of HMG-CoA reductase, and simultaneously the diminution of the serum levels of glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol in a diet-induced in vivo model.

Sex Differences in Cognition Across Aging

Sex and gender differences are seen in cognitive disturbances in a variety of neurological and psychiatry diseases. Men are more likely to have cognitive symptoms in schizophrenia whereas women are more likely to have more severe cognitive symptoms with major depressive disorder and Alzheimer's disease. Thus, it is important to understand sex and gender differences in underlying cognitive abilities with and without disease. Sex differences are noted in performance across various cognitive domains - with males typically outperforming females in spatial tasks and females typically outperforming males in verbal tasks. Furthermore, there are striking sex differences in brain networks that are activated during cognitive tasks and in learning strategies. Although rarely studied, there are also sex differences in the trajectory of cognitive aging. It is important to pay attention to these sex differences as they inform researchers of potential differences in resilience to age-related cognitive decline and underlying mechanisms for both healthy and pathological cognitive aging, depending on sex. We review literature on the progressive neurodegenerative disorder, Alzheimer's disease, as an example of pathological cognitive aging in which human females show greater lifetime risk, neuropathology, and cognitive impairment, compared to human males. Not surprisingly, the relationships between sex and cognition, cognitive aging, and Alzheimer's disease are nuanced and multifaceted. As such, this chapter will end with a discussion of lifestyle factors, like education and diet, as modifiable factors that can alter cognitive aging by sex. Understanding how cognition changes across age and contributing factors, like sex differences, will be essential to improving care for older adults.

High Fructose and High Fat Diet Impair Different Types of Memory through Oxidative Stress in a Sex- and Hormone-Dependent Manner

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) contributes to the spread of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus type 2, and neurodegenerative diseases. Evaluation of sex- and hormone-dependent changes in body weight, blood pressure, blood lipids, oxidative stress markers, and alterations in different types of memory in Sprague–Dawley rats fed with a high fat and high fructose (HFHF) diet were evaluated. After 12 weeks of feeding the male and female rats with HFHF, body weight gain, increase in blood pressure, and generation of dyslipidemia compared to the animals fed with chow diet were observed. Regarding memory, it was noted that gonadectomy reverted the effects of HFHF in the 24 h novel object recognition task and in spatial learning/memory analyzed through Morris water maze, males being more affected than females. Nevertheless, gonadectomy did not revert long-term memory impairment in the passive avoidance task induced by HFHF nor in male or female rats. On the other hand, sex-hormone–diet interaction was observed in the plasma concentration of malondialdehyde and nitric oxide. These results suggest that the changes observed in the memory and learning of MetS animals are sex- and hormone-dependent and correlate to an increase in oxidative stress.

In Silico-Based Design and In Vivo Evaluation of an Anthranilic Acid Derivative as a Multitarget Drug in a Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome Model

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complex disease that affects almost a quarter of the world's adult population. In MetS, diabetes, obesity, hyperglycemia, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure are the most common disorders. Polypharmacy is the most used strategy for managing conditions related to MetS, but it has drawbacks such as low medication adherence. Multitarget ligands have been proposed as an interesting approach to developing drugs to treat complex diseases. However, suitable preclinical models that allow their evaluation in a context closer to a clinical situation of a complex disease are needed. From molecular docking studies, compound 1b, a 5-aminoanthranilic acid derivative substituted with 4'-trifluoromethylbenzylamino and 3',4'-dimethoxybenzamide moieties, was identified as a potential multitarget drug, as it showed high in silico affinity against targets related to MetS, including PPAR-α, PPAR-γ, and HMG-CoA reductase. It was evaluated in a diet-induced MetS rat model and simultaneously lowered blood pressure, glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels after a 14-day treatment. No toxicity events were observed during an acute lethal dose evaluation test at 1500 mg/kg. Hence, the diet-induced MetS model is suitable for evaluating treatments for MetS, and compound 1b is an attractive starting point for developing multitarget drugs.

Sex matters in neuroscience and neuropsychopharmacology

Prevalence and symptoms of most psychiatric and neurological disorders differ in men and women and there is substantial evidence that their neurobiological basis and treatment also differ by sex. This special issue sought to bring together a series of empirical papers and targeted reviews to highlight the diverse impact of sex in neuroscience and neuropsychopharmacology. This special issue emphasizes the diverse impact of sex in neuroscience and neuropsychopharmacology, including 9 review papers and 17 research articles highlighting investigation in different species (zebrafish, mice, rats, and humans). Each contribution covers scientific topics that overlap with genetics, endocrinology, cognition, behavioral neuroscience, neurology, and pharmacology. Investigating the extent to which sex differences can impact the brain and behavior is key to moving forward in neuroscience research.