We pursued studies to determine the effects of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) on brain, and the possibility of modulating these effects by dietary interventions. In addition, we have assessed potential mechanisms by which brain metabolic disorders can impact synaptic plasticity and cognition. We report that high-dietary fructose consumption leads to an increase in insulin resistance index, and i...

BACKGROUND The human mitochondrial trifunctional protein (MTP) complex is composed of 4 hydroacyl-CoA dehydrogenase-alpha (HADHA) and 4 hydroacyl-CoA dehydrogenase-beta (HADHB) subunits, which catalyze the last 3 steps in the fatty acid beta-oxidation spiral of long-chain fatty acids. The HADHB gene encodes long-chain ketoacyl-CoA thiolase (LCTH) activity, whereas the HADHA gene contains the in...

Insulin plays pivotal role in cellular fuel metabolism in skeletal muscle. Despite being the primary site of energy metabolism, the underlying mechanism on how insulin deficiency deranges skeletal muscle mitochondrial physiology remains to be fully understood. Here we report an important link between altered skeletal muscle proteome homeostasis and mitochondrial physiology during insulin defici...

This study was conducted to determine optimal ratios of dietary linolenic acid (18:3n-3, LnA) to linoleic acid (18:2n-6, LA) for Tor tambroides. Juveniles were fed three trial diets with different ratios of LnA/LA (0.0, 0.5 and 1.0) for 10 weeks. Another diet contained 100% palm oil, which was similar tothe diet with 0.0 LnA/LA ratio but different in total amounts of C18polyunsaturated fatty ac...

A 3 year old boy developed an unusually mild form of glycogen storage disease type IV. Metabolic investigations showed severe abnormalities of fatty acid and carnitine metabolism. A muscle carnitine deficiency was found. Treatment with L-carnitine orally led to a notable improvement in muscle strength.

1. Rats were made hypothyroid by feeding them with propylthiouracil together with a low-iodine diet for 4 weeks. 2. [U-14C]Glucose conversion into fatty acids was substantially enhanced in brown adipocytes isolated from hypothyroid rats. Incorporation of 3H2O into fatty acids in vivo was enhanced in hypothyroidism in interscapular brown fat, but not in epididymal white fat or in liver. Hypothyr...

Epidemiological and monozygotic twin studies indicate that the risk for developing schizophrenia is conferred equally by genetic and environmental factors. While the search for genes that increase susceptibility for schizophrenia has been a focus of recent researchefforts, similar efforts need tobemade to identify environmental risk factors, particularly those that are amenable to modification....