{"title":"Boredom, interoceptive ability, and emotional eating: An experimental study","authors":"Erica Ahlich , Kendall Poovey , Allison Cunning , Laura Boyajian , Diana Rancourt","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115137","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115137","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Growing evidence underscores the importance of examining specific emotions to better understand emotional eating. Boredom is one such underexplored emotion, and little is known about individual differences that may increase vulnerability to “bored eating.” Given the relevance of interoception—awareness of internal bodily signals—to other forms of dysregulated eating, the current study investigated whether interoceptive ability moderates the relationship between boredom and food consumption. In a controlled laboratory experiment, 187 participants consumed a water preload and were randomly assigned to a 30-minute boredom or neutral condition. Snack foods (chocolate, crackers, chips) were available ad libitum, and consumption was covertly measured. Interoception was assessed via general interoceptive sensibility, hunger/satiety-specific sensibility, and gastric interoceptive sensitivity using the two-step Water Load Test. Analyses of covariance tested main and interaction effects of condition and interoceptive measures on food consumption. Contrary to hypotheses, neither boredom nor any interoceptive measure predicted total or food-type-specific consumption. Additionally, interoception did not moderate the relationship between boredom and eating. These findings contribute to a growing body of research questioning the predictive validity of self-reported emotional eating and highlight the importance of distinguishing between self-reported tendencies and observable behavior. Future research using ecologically valid, longitudinal methods may help clarify when and for whom boredom contributes to dysregulated eating and whether physiological awareness influences this pathway.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115137"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145355643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Physiology & BehaviorPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-10-03DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115120
Yunchang Yang, Yunqin Sun, Yaofeng Wang
{"title":"Gut microbiota mediates the protective effects of SGLT-2 inhibitors on bipolar disorder: An intermediary Mendelian randomization study","authors":"Yunchang Yang, Yunqin Sun, Yaofeng Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115120","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115120","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Bipolar disorder (BD), with a global prevalence of approximately 1%, is characterized by mood swings and social impairment, and involves factors such as genetics, brain structure abnormalities, and gut-brain axis dysregulation</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The influence of SGLT-2 inhibitors and gut microbiota on BD remains unclear. We Investigate causal links between SGLT-2 inhibitors, gut microbiota, and BD risk using Mendelian randomization (MR). Identify mediating microbiota and elucidate connecting molecular pathways.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Two-sample MR utilized European GWAS data. Instrumental variables (<em>p</em> < 5 × 10⁻⁵ for microbiota/BD) were analyzed primarily via inverse-variance weighted regression, with sensitivity analyses. Mediation analysis assessed SGLT-2 effects via microbiota. Functional enrichment (GO/KEGG), gene expression (GSE5388), and PPI network analyses identified pathways and hub genes.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>SGLT-2 inhibitors showed a significant negative causal effect on BD risk (OR = 0.104, 95% CI: 0.048–0.228, <em>p</em> < 0.001), partially mediated by <em>Clostridium sporosphaeroides</em> abundance (proportion mediated = 4.1%; statistically significant at a nominal p-value threshold, though not after multiple testing correction. 368 of the 473 gut microbiota <strong>taxa showed evidence of a</strong> causal association with BD. Enrichment implicated calcium signaling (<em>p</em> < 0.001) and neuroactive ligand-receptor pathways. Differential expression identified dysregulated GANC (<em>p</em> = 0.048) in BD frontal cortices. PPI networks revealed hub genes (COQ2, PKM) involved in mitochondrial function and GPCR activity.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study provides genetic evidence that SGLT-2 inhibitors may reduce BD risk, partly modulated by Clostridium sporosphaeroides. Identified pathways (e.g., calcium signaling) and dysregulated genes highlight mecolic-immune interplay in BD. Findings support evaluating SGLT-2 inhibitors and microbiota therapies in BD, though European-centric data requires broader validation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115120"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145233240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Human chorionic gonadotropin inhibits locomotion but not food intake independently of the area postrema and the nucleus tractus solitarius in female mice","authors":"Masami Anan , Katsura Kagawa , Yuko Okamatsu-Ogura , Soichiro Yamaguchi , Saori Yano-Nashimoto","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115151","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115151","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) affect many pregnant women’s quality of life, and the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is suspected to be a factor in exacerbating NVP due to its synchronized elevation with NVP episodes and the receptor expression in the area postrema (AP) and the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), which are brain regions known to regulate nausea and vomiting. However, the correlation between hCG and NVP remains inconsistent in human epidemiological studies. To elucidate the causal relationship between hCG and NVP, we evaluated the effect of hCG in mice. We found that the hCG administration suppressed locomotion without affecting food intake in intact mice, which may reflect malaise observed in NVP. Similar effects were observed in ovariectomized females, indicating that the effect is independent of sex steroids released from the ovary. Furthermore, hCG did not increase the c-Fos expression in AP or NTS, and the lesion of AP and the intermediate dorsal part of NTS did not affect the hCG-induced hypoactivity. These results suggest that locomotion suppression by hCG is independent of AP and NTS. While species differences must be considered, this research provides valuable insights into the potential role of hCG in NVP.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115151"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145422478","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Physiology & BehaviorPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-10-03DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115122
Irving S. Aguilar-Martínez , José L. Góngora-Alfaro , Ricardo A. Navarro-Polanco , Luis Castro-Sánchez , Eloy G. Moreno-Galindo , Javier Alamilla
{"title":"Synergistic effects of capsaicin and ketamine on the depression-like behaviors of animals subjected to the chronic unpredictable mild stress protocol","authors":"Irving S. Aguilar-Martínez , José L. Góngora-Alfaro , Ricardo A. Navarro-Polanco , Luis Castro-Sánchez , Eloy G. Moreno-Galindo , Javier Alamilla","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115122","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115122","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A significant percentage of depression patients are resistant to pharmacological treatments, highlighting the need for novel antidepressant strategies. Ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, produces rapid antidepressant effects and is effective in treatment-resistant cases, but its association with cognitive and behavioral abnormalities resembling schizophrenia limits broader clinical utility. Capsaicin, a TRPV1 agonist, alone or combined with standard antidepressants, reduces immobility in the forced swim test (FST) in rodents. This study evaluated the effects of capsaicin and ketamine, isolated or combined treatments, in the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model using multiple behavioral tests. We found immediate (day 1) and sustained (day 6) synergistic effects of capsaicin and ketamine in the FST after CUMS. The sucrose preference test (SPT) was performed on similar schedule. None of the treatments increased SPT on the last day of CUMS; however, capsaicin, ketamine, and their combination significantly increased SPT on day 6 post-CUMS, though pharmacologically treated groups did not reach SPT values of non-CUMS rats. Capsaicin alone and in combination with ketamine produced anxiolytic-like effects in the elevated plus maze and marble-burying tests. Locomotor activity in the open field test was unaffected by treatments, but all CUMS-exposed groups showed higher activity than non-CUMS animals. The most effective doses of capsaicin or the combination improved body weight and reduced adrenal gland hypertrophy, yet not to non-CUMS levels. These findings indicate that capsaicin plus ketamine exhibits synergistic antidepressant-like effects in the FST, sustains partial SPT recovery post-CUMS, and exerts anxiolytic-like actions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115122"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145233311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Impact of high sugar intake on neurobehavioral, oxidative, and hepatic integrity in mice exposed to simulated chronic jetlag/shiftwork","authors":"Madhumita Mishra , Rajesh Gupta , Vineetkumar Pillai, Muniyandi Singaravel","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115149","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115149","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Circadian misalignment, frequently encountered in shiftwork and trans-meridian travel, disrupts the temporal coordination of physiological processes and increases susceptibility to metabolic, neurobehavioral, and inflammatory disorders. Concurrently, it has been established that high dietary intake of refined sugars poses additional risks to systemic homeostasis. This study investigates the interactive effects of prolonged circadian disruption and sustained high-sucrose intake on neurobehavioral outcomes, metabolic parameters, redox homeostasis, and hepatic integrity in adult male mice. Animals were maintained under either a stable 12 h light:12 h dark cycle or exposed to a 24-day protocol of alternating 8 h phase advances and delays that simulated chronic jetlag/shiftwork. Within each lighting condition, mice consumed either tap water or a 30 % sucrose solution, yielding four experimental groups. Behavioral assays revealed that combined exposure to circadian disruption and sucrose elicited pronounced anxiety-like phenotypes and significant increases in body weight and blood glucose levels. Histological and lipid-specific analyses revealed progressive hepatic steatosis, vacuolization, and lipid accumulation, with pathology most pronounced under combined circadian disruption and sucrose intake. Biochemical analyses showed reduced antioxidant enzyme activities, elevated blood glucose and triglyceride levels, and increased hepatic enzymes, indicating oxidative stress, metabolic disruption, and liver dysfunction. Notably, chronic jetlag alone impaired neurobehavior, redox balance, and liver health, while high sugar intake further amplified these effects. These findings underscore the translational significance of addressing both circadian disruption and dietary excess to mitigate metabolic and psychological risks in individuals exposed to irregular light schedules and high-sugar diets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115149"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145409825","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Physiology & BehaviorPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-10-23DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115143
Pablo Rivas-Diaz , Teresa Montoliu , Vanesa Hidalgo , Alicia Salvador
{"title":"Cortisol awakening response and autobiographical memory in healthy older adults: The moderating role of negative reminiscence","authors":"Pablo Rivas-Diaz , Teresa Montoliu , Vanesa Hidalgo , Alicia Salvador","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115143","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115143","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis’s response to stress, with cortisol as a key hormone, has an important impact on cognitive function. Specifically, the Cortisol Awakening Response (CAR), an index of HPA axis functioning, has been linked to declarative memory performance. Autobiographical Memory (AM), a specific form of declarative memory, becomes especially relevant in aging due to its relationship with identity, emotional regulation, and cognitive functioning. However, engaging with the autobiographical past can become maladaptive when it is dominated by negative, self-critical reflections, a pattern referred to as negative reminiscence. This study aimed to examine whether the CAR and negative reminiscence independently predict the specificity of personal memories in healthy older adults, and whether their interaction further explains variability in AM specificity. A sample of 150 healthy older adults (aged 56–81) provided eight saliva samples over two consecutive days to assess the CAR, and they completed standardized measures of AM and reminiscence. Our results showed no significant direct associations between the CAR or negative reminiscence and AM specificity. However, moderation analyses revealed that the CAR significantly predicted a greater tendency to retrieve overgeneral memories, that is, less specific autobiographical memories, but only among individuals with higher negative reminiscence. These results suggest that the way individuals relate to their past plays a key role in the impact of physiological stress on autobiographical recall. The findings underscore the importance of considering both biological and emotional factors to better understand AM in aging.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115143"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145370367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Physiology & BehaviorPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-10-27DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115148
Abbigail M. Turner , Victoria N. Sluis , Michael P. Ward , Mark E. Hauber
{"title":"Corticosterone shortens foreign egg ejection distance but not latency in American robins (Turdus migratorius)","authors":"Abbigail M. Turner , Victoria N. Sluis , Michael P. Ward , Mark E. Hauber","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115148","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115148","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Obligate brood parasitic birds often face the removal of their eggs by rejector hosts; for example, in North America, American robins (<em>Turdus migratorius)</em> are robust egg rejectors of non-mimetic brown-headed cowbird (<em>Molothrus ater)</em> eggs. Recent studies have investigated the role of various hormones during the anti-parasitic egg-rejection process. Corticosterone, a steroid hormone often released in response to environmental stressors, has previously been found to increase the propensity for female American robins to reject non-mimetic model eggs. To better understand how corticosterone affects other behaviors during the egg-ejection behavioral complex (e.g., the distance the egg is taken from the nest, the latency of rejection decision), we combined two previously used techniques for (i) non-invasive corticosterone delivery and (ii) spatio-temporal tracking of rejected model eggs in wild female American robins. All subjects rejected the non-mimetic model eggs from their clutch, and through a repeated-measures design, we found that the same female robin reduced her egg-ejection distance in the corticosterone treatment relative to the control. In turn, we did not find a treatment effect for ejection latency, perhaps because all but one female already rejected the model egg rapidly (within one hour). Future work should examine whether other known endocrine mediators of egg rejection, including prolactin, similarly affect aspects of egg rejection behavior in this and other hosts of obligate avian brood parasites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115148"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145401524","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Physiology & BehaviorPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-10-21DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115141
Yasamin Baghdadchi , Carl White , Eugene Dimitrov
{"title":"Obesity suppresses hippocampal neurogenesis and impairs memory and executive function in a weight and sex-specific manner","authors":"Yasamin Baghdadchi , Carl White , Eugene Dimitrov","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115141","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115141","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>There is a well-established link between a high-fat diet (HFD) as a cause of obesity, which, in addition to metabolic and cardiovascular pathology, is also associated with memory loss and cognitive decline. We investigated the conditional relationship between HFD, body weight, cognitive performance and adult hippocampal neurogenesis in male and female mice. The mice receiving HFD for three months were heavier and exhibited impaired long-term memory and diminished problem-solving ability in comparison to the groups on standard chow diet (SD). The severity of the cognitive impairment was dependent on their weight as shown by regressive analysis of the data. However, the HFD and increased body weight negatively affected the short-term spatial memory, a hippocampus-dependent task, only in male but not in female mice. Next, we compared the expression of Ki67 and DCX as markers for adult neurogenesis in the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus of the dorsal hippocampus of mice on SD and HFD. The HFD reduced the densities of Ki67- and DCX-labeled cells only in male but not in the female mice.</div><div>These results revealed that the cognitive impairment triggered by HFD was proportionate to the weight of the mice. However, the female mice preserved the rate of adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus and their cognitive functions in hippocampus-dependent tasks despite being susceptible to the deleterious effects of HFD in other cognitive domains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115141"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145355812","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Physiology & BehaviorPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-10-09DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115124
Paulo DRS Nosé , Lila M Oyama , Gustavo Gomes de Araujo , Natalia de Almeida Rodrigues , Filipe Antonio de Barros Sousa , Sergio Tufik , Ronaldo V Thomatieli-Santos
{"title":"Metabolic changes explain how training mitigates the reduction in strength caused by sleep restriction","authors":"Paulo DRS Nosé , Lila M Oyama , Gustavo Gomes de Araujo , Natalia de Almeida Rodrigues , Filipe Antonio de Barros Sousa , Sergio Tufik , Ronaldo V Thomatieli-Santos","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115124","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115124","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sleep is crucial for maintaining physiological and cognitive functions, including athletic performance; yet, nearly half of adults in Western countries experience sleep restriction. While human studies demonstrate that sleep restriction impairs strength and power performance, the underlying metabolic mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aimed to characterize the impact of acute sleep restriction on strength performance and metabolic profiles in trained rats using untargeted metabolomics, a robust approach for identifying global biochemical changes. Twenty young adult Wistar rats were divided into two groups: Trained Control (TC) and Trained Sleep Restriction (TSR). All animals performed an initial Maximal Strength Test (MST) and were then trained for six weeks. On the day after the last training session, the animals were subjected to six hours of sleep restriction. At the end of the sleep restriction, the animals were subjected to the MST again and euthanized for blood collection and GC–MS metabolomics analysis. While both groups showed increased strength after training, the sleep-restricted group (TSR) exhibited reduced strength compared to controls (TC) by week 6 (<em>p</em> < 0.001), despite similar muscle glycogen levels. GC–MS Metabolomic Analysis revealed a pattern in the TSR group, characterized by lower concentrations of alanine, glutamine, serine, glycine, lysine, methionine, threonine, ornithine, tyrosine, norvaline, oleic acid, uric acid, and creatinine, as well as increased concentrations of phenylalanine and valine. In conclusion, acute sleep restriction reduced strength performance in trained rats by shifting metabolism away from efficient oxidative pathways, marked by decreased amino acid support for the Krebs cycle and neuromuscular homeostasis, rather than by changes in glycogen availability.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115124"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145258966","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Physiology & BehaviorPub Date : 2026-01-01Epub Date: 2025-10-17DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115133
Hui Yang , Zhu Gui , Yunling Gao , Wenxiang Yu , Dexin Dang , Ning Zheng , Shaoyong Xu , Jie Wang
{"title":"Chronic adolescent alcohol exposure induces long-term neurofunctional and metabolic dysregulation in adult rats","authors":"Hui Yang , Zhu Gui , Yunling Gao , Wenxiang Yu , Dexin Dang , Ning Zheng , Shaoyong Xu , Jie Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.physbeh.2025.115133","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Adolescent chronic drinking has become increasingly prevalent worldwide, imposing significant physical and mental burdens in adulthood. However, the specific effects of different alcohol doses during adolescence on adult physiology remain incompletely understood. In this study, we established a 12-day chronic alcohol exposure model in adolescent rats using different alcohol doses. Behavioral tests, <sup>13</sup>C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were then used to examine behavior, neurotransmitter metabolism, and brain functional connectivity in adulthood. We found that long-term low-dose alcohol exposure impairs hepatic metabolic function. In contrast, high-dose alcohol exposure not only induces hepatic metabolic disorders but also alters brain functional connectivity in adulthood and leads to anxiety-like behaviors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20201,"journal":{"name":"Physiology & Behavior","volume":"303 ","pages":"Article 115133"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145318527","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}