A high-fat diet (HFD) and overweight status can induce hippocampal dysfunction, leading to depression and anxiety. Exercise has beneficial effects on emotional behaviors. We previously reported that exercise training rescues HFD-induced excess hippocampal neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression, which is a key regulator of anxiety. Here, we investigated anxiety-like behaviors and hippocampal nNOS expression in response to HFD combined with exercise. Mice were assigned to standard diet, HFD, or HFD with exercise groups for 12 weeks. We found that exercise during the final 6 weeks of the HFD regime improved 12 weeks of HFD-induced defecation, accompanied by rescue of excess nNOS expression. However, anxiety indicators in the elevated plus maze were unchanged. These effects were not apparent after only 1 week of exercise. In conclusion, 6 weeks of exercise training reduced HFD-related anxiety according to one of our measures (defecation), and reversed changes in the hippocampal nNOS/NO pathway.

中文翻译：

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焦虑样行为和海马 nNOS 对饮食引起的肥胖联合运动的反应。


高脂肪饮食（HFD）和超重状态会诱发海马功能障碍，导致抑郁和焦虑。锻炼对情绪行为有有益的影响。我们之前报道过，运动训练可以挽救 HFD 诱导的海马神经元一氧化氮合酶 (nNOS) 过度表达，而 nNOS 是焦虑的关键调节因子。在这里，我们研究了 HFD 与运动相结合的焦虑样行为和海马 nNOS 表达。小鼠被分配到标准饮食组、HFD 组或 HFD 运动组，为期 12 周。我们发现，HFD 方案最后 6 周的锻炼改善了 HFD 诱导的排便 12 周，同时挽救了过量的 nNOS 表达。然而，高架十字迷宫中的焦虑指标没有变化。仅锻炼 1 周后，这些效果并不明显。总之，根据我们的一项措施（排便），6 周的运动训练减少了与 HFD 相关的焦虑，并逆转了海马 nNOS/NO 通路的变化。