Chronic High-Carbohydrate And High-Fat Diet-Induced Metabolic Syndrome Leads To Adrenal Dysfunction, Altered Dendritic Morphology In Limbic Regions, And Anxiety-Like Behaviors In Male Rats

Metabolic syndrome (MS) represents a major global health problem affecting a large proportion of the population. The improper management of peripheral carbohydrates and lipids leads to behavioral changes in neurons of the limbic brain. This work studied male rats that received diets high in carbohydrates, lipids, and their combination for ninety days. The study examined how peripheral metabolic changes and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis alterations affect dendritic structure in limbic brain regions, thereby inducing anxiety-related behavioral responses. Our results show that male rats develop MS after consuming diets high in fat, carbohydrates, and their mixture for an extended period. These diets after the normal function of the HPA axis, leading to increased anxiety symptoms and reduced dendritic growth in limbic areas. This is accompanied by increased caspase-3 immunoreactivity and decreased cell viability. Therefore, it is suggested that diets high in carbohydrates or fats are a critical factor that could induce adrenal stress that damages dendrites and accelerates neurodegeneration, resulting in anxiety-related behavioral changes.