Adolescent Sugar-Induced Miswiring of Hippocampal Neurons Drives Adult Motivational Dysfunction in rats
Adolescence, a critical period for hippocampal maturation, involves the integration of newly generated neurons into circuits underlying adult behavior. While adolescent, but not adult, sugar overconsumption triggers lasting motivational deficits, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that adolescent-born dentate gyrus granule neurons causally mediate adult reward-seeking behavior. Strikingly, sucrose overconsumption during adolescence abolishes this function, inducing selective remodeling of synaptic inputs and disrupting their functional integration.
Authors
- Núria Masachs
- Stéphanie Caillé (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4906-3091)
- Martine Cador (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3416-827X)
- Djoher Nora Abrous (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8589-305X)
- Fanny Farrugia
- Eve Aurand
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Université de Bordeaux (FR)
- Inserm (FR)
- Neurocentre Magendie (FR)
Publication Details
- Journal
- bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
- Published
- 2026-10-29
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.26.761002
- Primary Topic
- Neurogenesis and neuroplasticity mechanisms
- Type
- preprint
Funders
- California Institute of Technology
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
- Université de Bordeaux
- LabEx BRAIN