CO and exercise during lactation can ameliorate the effects of stress on anxiety-like behavior and episodic-like memory in young rats.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze whether exposure to environmental enrichment (EE) during the juvenile phase of life interferes with the electrical activity of the adult rat brain. In addition, the present research also investigated whether this putative effect on brain electrical activity could be affected by prior overnutrition during lactation. Electrophysiology was measured through cortical spreading depression (CSD), a phenomenon related to brain excitability. Methods: Wistar rats were suckled in litters of either nine or three pups, forming the nourished (N) or overnourished (ON) groups, respectively. At 36 days old, half of the animals from each nutritional condition were exposed to EE. The other half was kept in the standard environment (SE). At 90-120 days of life, each animal was anesthetized for CSD recordings. Results: Overnutrition during lactation caused increases (p < 0.05) in body and brain weights. The EE decelerated CSD propagation velocity regardless of nutritional state during lactation (p < 0.001). The CSD deceleration in the N-EE group was 23.8% and in the ON-EE group was 15% in comparison with the N-SE and ON-SE groups, respectively. Conclusion: Our data demonstrated that EE exposure in the juvenile phase of the rat's life reduced brain excitability, and this effect was observed even if animals were overnourished during lactation. An EE could be considered an adjuvant therapeutic resource to modulate brain excitability.

Coconut oil has been considered as a therapeutic alternative in several pathologies, but there is limited information regarding its effects on brain functioning.

Background: Postnatal overnutrition has been associated with lasting impairment of cognitive function. On the other hand, virgin coconut oil (CO) and environmental enrichment (EE) have been associated with the improvement of memory function. Objectives: To evaluate whether CO and EE could counteract any possible memory impairment caused by overnutrition during rats’ postnatal period. Methods: Rats were suckled in litters of either 9 (N, nourished) or 3 (ON, overnourished) pups. At 7 to 30 days of life, N and ON animals were treated with CO (10 ml/kg/d) or vehicle (V). At 36 days old, rats were exposed to EE during a 4-week period. Recognition memory was investigated in young and adult groups to evaluate rats’ memory after CO supplementation period and after exposure to an EE, respectively. Lastly, murinometric evaluation and blood collection were performed. Results: ON young rats displayed a treatment-dependent impairment of memory (p < 0.001). Additionally, CO coupled with overnutrition had age-dependent effects on memory. At adulthood, CO&ON rats were not able to recognize novel object placement (novel versus familiar, p > 0.05); however, CO&ON rats that were exposed to EE performed this task successfully (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: The etiology of diseases characterized by memory impairment can date back to lactation. Nutrition during this critical period can influence cognitive function. Early-life overnutrition, coupled with CO, has age-dependent effects on recognition memory. Our data suggests EE can rescue the memory impairment found in CO&ON adult rats.

Objetivo: avaliar a antropometria e estilo de vida em portadores de Doença Pulmonar Obstrutiva Crônica (DPOC). Métodos: estudo descritivo, do tipo série de casos, constituído por amostra de 30 pacientes, ≥40 anos, do ambulatório de pneumologia do Hospital das Clínicas de Pernambuco, com diagnóstico de DPOC. Avaliaram-se dados sociodemográficos e comportamentais, peso, altura, índice de massa corporal, alterações ponderais, circunferência do braço, circunferência da panturrilha, circunferência da cintura, circunferência do quadril, relação cintura/estatura, relação cintura/quadril e índice de conicidade. Resultados: Observou-se prevalência de 70% idosos, 70% homens, 63,3% < 8 anos de escolaridade, 76,7% inativos, 66,7% com rendimentos ≤ 1 salário mínimo e residentes na região metropolitana e interior (83,3%). Predominantemente ex-tabagistas que fumaram ≥ 20 anos. 66,7% sedentários e 83,3% não eram etilistas. 50% tinha excesso de peso, enquanto 50% apresentou perda ponderal após doença pulmonar. A gordura abdominal foi elevada (56,7%) segundo circunferência da cintura e, em 83,3% pela relação cintura/estatura; 53,3% apresentaram relação cintura/quadril alterada e circunferência do braço variando de desnutrição (40%) a eutrofia (40%). Na circunferência da panturrilha dos idosos 84% foram classificados como eutróficos, enquanto o índice de conicidade 93% apresentou elevação. Conclusão: Detectou-se elevadas alterações na antropometria, ao mesmo tempo em que foi observado estilo de vida sedentário.

Objetivo: Esse trabalho busca analisar a relação que existe entre a microbiota intestinal e o desenvolvimento de patologias de caráter psicológico. Metodologia: Revisão sistemática, realizada entre os meses de fevereiro de 2020 a março de 2021.  Para elaborar o referencial teórico, foi realizada uma seleção de artigos através das plataformas de pesquisa PubMed, Science Direct, Scielo e Lilacs. Resultados: Estudos experimentais demonstram que a microbiota intestinal interfere no comportamento do hospedeiro tanto pela síntese de substâncias neuroativas como a serotonina, dopamina e o ácido gama-aminobutírico, atenuando comportamentos relacionados à ansiedade e ao estresse, como também através da regulação do eixo Hipotálamo-Pituitária-Adrenal, sendo o desequilíbrio da flora intestinal responsável pela sua hiperatividade, com consequente promoção de comportamento mais ansioso e estressado, em decorrência da liberação dos hormônios adrenocorticóide e corticosterona. Conclusão: Faz-se necessário estudos mais detalhados, para que sejam elucidados de forma clara e objetiva os reais efeitos causados pelos microrganismos que compõem a microbiota intestinal, no funcionamento do cérebro.