“…In addition, stress-induced activation of the HPA axis and alterations in glucocorticoid functioning can affect the brain-adipose axis, resulting in increased visceral fat storage (17,18,155,167). Indeed, individual housing has been found to disrupt plasma glycaemic and lipid profiles (80,81,89,137), adipocyte morphology and hepatic/adipocyte gene expression profiles involved in lipid metabolism (40,42,88), even in the absence of concurrent changes in body weight. In turn, increased fatty acid overflow from the visceral depot towards the liver stimulates the sympatho-adrenal system and the HPA axis, (168) which can ignite a vicious circle, worsening metabolic syndrome characteristics (169).…”