Evaluation of the central and peripheral serotonergic system in obese mice with and without dietary changes: molecular and behavioral study

Abstract

Obesity has as its fundamental etiology an imbalance between consumption and energy expenditure, leading to an abnormal accumulation of fat. Such imbalance is strongly related to exogenous factors found in the environment in which the individual is inserted, such as the high intake of energetically dense foods and rich in saturated fat. The deleterious effects promoted by obesity affect not only peripheral tissues, but also central ones, which can cause problems such as neurological disorders and increased risk of anxiety and depression. And, as the central and peripheral serotonergic system is associated with modulation of eating behavior and emotional disorders, it can contribute to serotonin being considered a therapeutic target in the fight against obesity (and metabolic disorders associated with it) and psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety.