Chronic Mild Unpredictable Stress and High-Fat Diet Given during Adolescence Impact Both Cognitive and Noncognitive Behaviors in Young Adult Mice

Abstract

Stress and diet are intricately linked, and they often interact in a negative fashion. Increases in stress can lead to poor food choices; adolescence is a period that is often accompanied by increased levels of stress. Stress and poor dietary choices can affect learning and memory; it is important to understand their combined effects when occurring during crucial developmental periods. Here, we present evidence that chronic mild unpredictable stress (CMUS) and high-fat diet (HFD) impact both cognitive and noncognitive behaviors when assessed after four weeks of manipulation in four-week old mice. CMUS mice had increased anxiety in the open field test (OFT) (p = 0.01) and spent more time in the open arms of the elevated zero maze (EZM) (p p p p < 0.05). These findings allow for researchers to assess how modifying lifestyle factors (including diet and stress) during adolescence can serve as a potential strategy to improve cognition in young adulthood.

Keywords

• diet
• stress
• mice
• learning
• memory
• behavior