Metabolic Consequences and Vulnerability to Diet-Induced Obesity in Male Mice under Chronic Social Stress

Social and psychological factors interact with genetic predisposition and dietary habit in determining obesity. However, relatively few pre-clinical studies address the role of psychosocial factors in metabolic disorders. Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated in male mice: 1) opposite status-dependent effect on body weight gain under chronic psychosocial stress; 2) a reduction in body weight in individually housed (Ind) male mice. In the present study these observations were extended to provide a comprehensive characterization of the metabolic consequences of chronic psychosocial stress and individual housing in adult CD-1 male mice. Results confirmed that in mice fed standard diet, dominant (Dom) and Ind had a negative energy balance while subordinate (Sub) had a positive energy balance. Locomotor activity was depressed in Sub and enhanced in Dom. Hyperphagia emerged for Dom and Sub and hypophagia for Ind. Dom also showed a consistent decrease of visceral fat pads weight as well as increased norepinephrine concentration and smaller adipocytes diameter in the perigonadal fat pad. On the contrary, under high fat diet Sub and, surprisingly, Ind showed higher while Dom showed lower vulnerability to obesity associated with hyperphagia. In conclusion, we demonstrated that social status under chronic stress and individual housing deeply affect mice metabolic functions in different, sometime opposite, directions. Food intake, the hedonic response to palatable food as well as the locomotor activity and the sympathetic activation within the adipose fat pads all represent causal factors explaining the different metabolic alterations observed. Overall this study demonstrates that pre-clinical animal models offer a suitable tool for the investigation of the metabolic consequences of chronic stress exposure and associated psychopathologies

Mehr als nur Prellen : mit Bällen gemeinsam zur Musik gestalten

Böer D. Mehr als nur Prellen : mit Bällen gemeinsam zur Musik gestalten. Grundschule Sport. 2014;(2):10-12

Kooperatives Turnen auf der Langbank : Schritte aufeinander zu - wie Jungen und Mädchen über die Gestaltung einer Partnerkür Unterschiede bewältigen

Böer D. Kooperatives Turnen auf der Langbank : Schritte aufeinander zu - wie Jungen und Mädchen über die Gestaltung einer Partnerkür Unterschiede bewältigen. Sportpädagogik : Zeitschrift für Sport-, Spiel- u. Bewegungserziehung. 2011;(1):6-9

Alle machen mit - gemeinsam beginnen. Ein musikalischer Einstieg in einer Sportfest

Böer D. Alle machen mit - gemeinsam beginnen. Ein musikalischer Einstieg in einer Sportfest. Grundschule Sport. 2016;(10):8-9

Bänder gemeinsam tanzen lassen. Bewegungsformen mit dem Band entdecken und präsentieren

Kastrup V, Böer D. Bänder gemeinsam tanzen lassen. Bewegungsformen mit dem Band entdecken und präsentieren. Sport & Spiel. 2016;(2):4-8

Lernspiele rund ums Rope Skipping

Menze-Sonneck A, Telthörster J, Böer D. Lernspiele rund ums Rope Skipping. Lehrhilfen für den Sportunterricht. 2003;52(2):10-13

Helminth Fauna in Captive European Gray Wolves (Canis lupus lupus) in Germany

Captive as well as free-ranging wolves, which are currently recolonizing Germany, may harbor a variety of gastrointestinal parasites. This study investigated endoparasites in captive European gray wolves (Canis lupus lupus) using coproscopical methods. Fecal samples were collected monthly between October 2012 and November 2013 from 18 wolf enclosures in 14 German zoological gardens, representing 72 individual wolves. In total, 1,041 fecal samples including 26 bulk samples were analyzed by the sedimentation and flotation method. The most frequently detected egg morphotypes included five nematodes [Ancylostomatidae (Ancylostoma or Uncinaria spp.), Toxocara canis, Toxascaris leonina, Trichuris vulpis, and Capillaria/Eucoleus spp.], one cestode (Taeniidae) and one trematode (Alaria alata). 44.76% of all samples were positive for at least one of these egg morphotypes. Overall, Ancylostomatidae showed the highest frequency (30.84% of all samples), followed by Capillaria/Eucoleus spp. (19.88%), Toxocara canis (5.19%), taeniids (3.75%), Trichuris vulpis and Alaria alata (3.65% each), and Toxascaris leonina (1.25%). As fecal samples were collected from the environment and could not be assigned to individual wolves, sample results were combined per zoo and month. General linear mixed models were employed to analyze the effect of season and management factors on the occurrence of Ancylostomatidae, Capillaria/Eucoleus spp., Toxocara canis and taeniids. No statistically significant effect of season was found, whereas anthelmintic treatment negatively affected Ancylostomatidae egg excretion. Detected parasites and their prevalences are comparable to previous studies on wolf parasitism conducted elsewhere in Europe. As many of the most prevalent helminths are of zoonotic importance, routine anthelmintic treatment of captive wolves should be recommended