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INTRODUCTION: The excessive fat accumulation in obesity, resulting from an unbalanced diet, can lead to metabolic and neurological disorders and increase the risk of developing anxiety and depression. AIM: Assess the impact of dietary intervention (DI) on the serotonergic system, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression and behaviors of obese mice. METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice, 5 weeks old, received a high-fat diet (HFD) for 10 weeks for the induction of obesity. After this period, for 8 weeks, half of these animals received a control diet (CD), group obese (OB) + control diet (OB + CD, n = 10), and another half continued being fed HFD, group obese + HFD (OB + HFD, n = 10). At the end of the eighth week of intervention, behavioral tests were performed (sucrose preference test, open field, novel object recognition, elevated plus maze and tail suspension). Body weight and food intake were assessed weekly. Visceral adiposity, the hippocampal and hypothalamic protein expression of BDNF, 5-HT1A (5-HT1A serotonin receptor) and TPH2 (key enzyme in serotonin synthesis), were evaluated after euthanasia. RESULTS: The dietary intervention involved changing from a HFD to a CD over an 8-week period, effectively reduced body weight gain, adiposity, and anhedonia-like behavior. In the OB + HFD group, we saw a lower sucrose preference and shorter traveled distance in the open field, along with increased pro-BDNF expression in the hypothalamus compared to the OB + CD mice. However, the levels of TPH2 and 5-HT1A remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: The HFD model induced both obesity and anhedonia, but the dietary intervention successfully improved these conditions.

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Substance use among criminal justice-involved adults is a significant concern for the rehabilitation and reintegration into their communities. Few have examined broader associations with substance use among those in probation or parole (community supervision) using an assessment of risks and needs with a representative sample. Using an assessment based on risk-need-responsivity principles, this research applies negative binomial analyses to examine sociodemographic, criminal, and other problem-area correlates of substance use risks and needs among a statewide dataset of adults in community supervision. Results indicated that mental health risk/need was the strongest predictor of substance use risk/need. Other risk areas, including criminal thinking, employment/education, and the presence of delinquent associates (peers/family) were associated with substance use. Implications highlight the ongoing call to develop integrated models of care that treat co-occurring disorders among adults in supervision. Additionally, diversion-oriented efforts that prevent adults with complex treatment needs from reentering the justice system are discussed.

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Day reporting centers (DRCs) vary considerably in how participant eligibility is determined and to date, there is little to no knowledge whether criteria for DRC eligibly are appropriately applied in program entrance. This study examines a statewide sample of individuals in community supervision settings and compares DRC eligibility criteria between DRC and non-DRC participants to examine differences between DRC participants and non-participants. Using a propensity score matched sample of 1,554 participants, study findings suggest that DRC participants show higher risk, need, and responsivity factors, consistent with the DRC programing model. These results suggest many individuals appear to be appropriately matched to DRCs, which may in turn, may influence their likelihood of program success, among other factors.

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Aim: The aim of the present study is to assess the perception of undergraduate students on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Brazilian dental education. Methods: This crosssectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire hosted in Google Forms platform and publicized on Instagram® and Facebook®. The questionnaire was available between July 8-27, 2020. Absolute and relative frequencies were obtained for variables of interest using Pearson's chi-squared and considering 95% confidence intervals. Prevalence of learning resource variables according to self-reported skin color, educational institution, and Brazilian region were presented using equiplots. Results: A total of 1,050 undergraduate dental students answered the questionnaire. Most students reported being in full-distance learning mode. Among the undergraduate students, 65.4% reported perceiving a very high impact in dental education, and 16.6% of students reported not being able to follow distance learning. In addition, 14% reported not having a personal laptop or desktop to study with, with this condition being more prevalent among non-white than white individuals. Conclusion: We conclude that Brazilian dental students perceived a high impact of COVID-19 on dental education, as well as one-sixth of the students reported not having adequate resources to continue with distance learning. It is important that different policies are developed at the institutional and governmental levels to reduce the impact of the pandemic on dental education

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Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug during pregnancy, however, the effects of gestational exposure to Cannabis smoke (CS) on the central nervous system development remain uncharacterised. This study investigates the effects of maternal CS inhalation on brain function in the offspring. Pregnant mice were exposed daily to 5 min of CS during gestational days (GD) 5.5-17.5. On GD 18.5 half of the dams were euthanized for foetus removal. The offspring from the remaining dams were euthanized on postnatal days (PND) 20 and 60 for evaluation. Brain volume, cortex cell number, SOX2, histone-H3, parvalbumin, NeuN, and BDNF immunoreactivity were assessed in all groups. In addition, levels of NeuN, CB1 receptor, and BDNF expression were assessed and cortical primary neurons from rats were treated with Cannabis smoke extract (CSE) for assessment of cell viability. We found that male foetuses from the CS exposed group had decreased brain volume, whereas mice at PND 60 from the exposed group presented with increased brain volume. Olfactory bulb and diencephalon volume were found lower in foetuses exposed to CS. Mice at PND 60 from the exposed group had a smaller volume in the thalamus and hypothalamus while the cerebellum presented with a greater volume. Also, there was an increase in cortical BDNF immunoreactivity in CS exposed mice at PND 60. Protein expression analysis showed an increase in pro-BDNF in foetus brains exposed to CS. Mice at PND 60 presented an increase in mature BDNF in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the exposed group and a higher CB1 receptor expression in the PFC. Moreover, hippocampal NeuN expression was higher in adult animals from the exposed group. Lastly, treatment of cortical primary neurons with doses of CSE resulted in decreased cell viability. These findings highlight the potential negative neurodevelopmental outcomes induced by gestational CS exposure.

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BACKGROUND: The consumption of a high-fat diet (HFD) during pregnancy and perinatal periods can lead to long-term effects in the offspring central nervous system, affecting pathways related to neurogenesis and behavior, and increasing predispositions to depressive and anxiety-like behaviors. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effects of a maternal HFD on the hippocampi of adult offspring and behaviors related to anxiety and depression. METHODS: The protein and mRNA expression of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), Mash1, Notch1, Hes5, serotonin transporter (SERT), 5-HT1A serotonergic receptor (5-HT1A), tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2, key enzyme of serotonin synthesis), JNK and pJNK were analyzed in the hippocampi of male Swiss mice. Hippocampal serotonin levels were measured using ELISA. The lipid peroxidation, total oxidant status, total antioxidant status, and GSH/GSSG were evaluated as oxidative stress measures. For the behavioral analysis, the open field, elevated plus maze, and sucrose preference tests were used. RESULTS: Maternal HFD led to increased body weight in dams and their offspring, as well as altered body composition and LDL levels in the offspring. There were no alterations in oxidative stress or JNK phosphorylation. Hippocampal Mash1 and BDNF expression were altered in HFD offspring. The HFD offspring exhibited anhedonic behavior. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that maternal HFD leads to long-term alterations in the offspring's neurotrophic systems, impairing their behavior.

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Maternal high-fat diet (HFD) consumption can promote a systemic inflammatory condition that may impair the offspring brain development, damaging memory and learning, when it reaches the hippocampus. This study aims to evaluate maternal HFD effects, during pregnancy and lactation, upon dams/mice offspring nutritional status, protein and gene expression of inflammatory pathway (JNK, pJNK and TNF-α), serotonin system molecules (Tryptophan Hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), key-enzyme of serotonin synthesis, serotonin transporter (SERT); 5-HT1A serotonergic receptor (5-HT1A)) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on recently weaned mice offspring hippocampus. Female Swiss mice were fed a control diet (CD, 11,5% fat) or a HFD (45.0% fat) from pre-mating to lactation. After weaning, the offspring received CD up to 28 post-natal days (PND28). Body weight and visceral adiposity (retroperitoneal and gonadal adipose tissue) of dams and offspring were measured. After euthanasia, the offspring hippocampus was dissected for evaluations of BDNF, inflammatory pathway and serotonergic system molecules protein and gene expression, through the techniques of Western Blotting, RTqPCR and ELISA. Our findings show that, during pregnancy, HFD-dams and HFD-offspring exhibited an increase in body weight gain and visceral adipose tissue compared to control animals. The hippocampus of HFD-offspring showed increased protein expression of TPH2, BDNF, pJNK and increased mRNA levels of TNF-α. However, the TPH2 increase in HFD-offspring did not alter hippocampal serotonin levels quantified through ELISA. Maternal HFD promoted an obesity phenotype in its offspring with increased body weight and visceral adiposity, increased protein and gene expression of the pro-inflammatory proteins pJNK and TNF-α. These changes were accompanied by increased TPH2 and BDNF protein expression. Thus, our findings show that maternal HFD during gestation and lactation increased pJNK and TNF-α expression in their offspring hippocampus indicating a pro-inflammatory state, with increased BDNF expression and alterations in its serotonergic system reflected by increased TPH2 expression.

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High-fat diets (HFDs) during pregnancy may damage the neural development and emotional behavior of rat offspring. Therefore, we investigated the neurobehavioral development of rat offspring who were fed a control diet (CD) or an HFD with lard (HFD-lard) or canola oil (HFD-canola oil), during pregnancy. Offspring's neurodevelopment (somatic growth, physical maturation, and ontogenesis reflex) was assessed while they were suckling. The rat's levels of depression, anxiety, and aggression were assessed through forced swimming, elevation plus a maze or open field test, and a foot-shock test on postnatal days 60, 80, and 110, respectively. Maternal HFDs with lard or canola oil promoted rats' offspring during suckling. They had reduced body weight and growth, physical maturation delay (auditory conduit and eyes opening to both groups HFDs-lard and canola oil; ear unfolding and incisor eruption only HFD-lard) and an ontogenesis reflex (palm grasp/vibrissa placing to both groups HFDs-lard and canola oil, and free-fall righting only in HFD-lard). Negative geotaxis resulted in the faster development of the HFD-lard offspring. Furthermore, in adulthood, the HDFs-offspring were more likely to be overweight, have shorter swimming times in the swim test, greater susceptibility to anxiety with an increased time spent in the closed arm in the elevated plus-maze while spending less time in the open arm, and having a decreased number of crossings and rearing in the open field. On the other hand, aggressive-like behavior was not affected. Therefore, these findings indicate that maternal HFDs enriched with lard or canola oil during pregnancy can impair the neurodevelopment of rat offspring and can perhaps be associated with possible changes to the emotional behavior of adult offspring.

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