Memory of Adolescent Obeses: circadian Rhythms Influences – MAORI

Clinical and experimental studies have reported biological rhythms impairments (fast/feeding cycles) in obese subjects but also memory alterations. This is particularly worrisome for adolescents as the brain is still maturing. Our hypothesis is that deregulation of the circadian clock, induced by obesogenic diets, impacts the oscillatory expression of genes involved in synaptic plasticity and in memory formation in specific brain regions. The project aims at testing this hypothesis in juvenile mice fed an obesogenic diet using behavioral, cellular and molecular approaches. We will also test the therapeutic benefit of chrono-nutrition (forced synchronization of food intake) on these various levels of analyses in mice. The beneficial effect of chrononutrition on memory performances will also be tested in obese adolescents in a clinical trial. The results of this project should help to better treat the cognitive consequences of adolescent obesity