Scheduled feeding restores memory and modulates c-Fos expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and septohippocampal complex

Abstract

Disruptions in circadian timing impair spatial memory in humans and rodents. Circadian-arrhythmic Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus) exhibit substantial deficits in spatial working memory as assessed by a spontaneous alternation (SA) task. The present study found that daily scheduled feeding rescued spatial memory deficits in these arrhythmic animals. Improvements in memory persisted for at least 3 weeks after the arrhythmic hamsters were switched back to ad libitum feeding. During ad libitum feeding, locomotor activity resumed its arrhythmic state, but performance on the SA task varied across the day with a peak in daily performance that corresponded to the previous daily window of food anticipation. At the end of scheduled feeding, c-Fos brain mapping revealed differential gene expression in entrained versus arrhythmic hamsters in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) that paralleled changes in the medial septum and hippocampus, but not in other neural structures. These data show that scheduled feeding can improve cognitive performance when SCN timing has been compromised, possibly by coordinating activity in the SCN and septohippocampal pathway.

Brain Activity during Methamphetamine Anticipation in a Non-Invasive Self-Administration Paradigm in Mice

“…However, anticipatory activity does not appear in the absence of a circadian injection schedule ( Iijima et al, 2002 ), indicating that entrainment of the circadian timing system is required for the anticipation to develop. More evidence of a circadian component to anticipation is available in changes in c-FOS expression in anticipation of a daily meal, with studies in rats ( Challet et al, 1997 ; Angeles-Castellanos et al, 2004, 2007 ; Mendoza et al, 2005 ; Escobar et al, 2007 ; Poulin and Timofeeva, 2008 ; Acosta-Galvan et al, 2011 ; Mitra et al, 2011 ; Caba et al, 2014 ), mice ( Begriche et al, 2012 ; Blum et al, 2012 ; Gallardo et al, 2014 ; Dattolo et al, 2016 ; Luna-Illades et al, 2017 ), and hamsters ( Dantas-Ferreira et al, 2015 ; Ruby et al, 2017 ), or in anticipation of a palatable treat in rats or mice ( Mendoza et al, 2005 ; Mitra et al, 2011 ; Gallardo et al, 2012 ; Blancas et al, 2014 ).…”

The Effect of Calorie Restriction and Intermittent Fasting on Impaired Cognitive Function in High-Fat Diet-Induced Obesity Started Post-Weaning in Male Wistar Rat

“…On the contrary, recently, it has been reported that mistimed feeding results in changes of clock molecules in the hippocampus (corticolimbic) while SCN remains unchanged. This misalignment results in hippocampal-dependent learning impairment ( 26 ). The most provocative finding is that despite the positive effect of NIF on learning, CR is still a more efficient intervention on learning and memory, while inappropriate food intake time inversely affects learning and memory.…”

Human circadian variations

“…Other forms of regulation, such as posttranslational modifications, found in the case of the casein kinase CK1δ, further modulate cellular activity as a function of circadian period (25,34). The clock is tightly integrated with metabolism (35), and together these processes influence much of human biology, including hormone balance (36), feeding habits (37) and digestion (38), body temperature, cognition, and many more (35,39). The Journal of Clinical Investigation 69).…”