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In recent years, childhood overweight and obesity have become a universal public health problem. Obesity may lead to cognitive disorders, depression and anxiety by affecting neuronal processes. Spirulina platensis (SP), a species of microalgae from the Chlorophyceae green algae class, has neuroprotective effects and may reduce body weight. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of SP on behavior alongside the role of leptin and Sirtuin-1 in fed with high-fat diet (HFD) adolescent rats. Four-week-old Sprague Dawley male rats were divided into four groups: control, HFD, HFD + SP150 (150 mg/kg/day SP, orally), HFD + SP450 (450 mg/kg/day SP, orally). Rats except for the control group exposed to 60% HFD along 12 weeks. Last 6 weeks SP or vehicle administered. After the behavioral tests, leptin and Sirtuin-1 levels in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus regions were evaluated. SP150 significantly reduced body weight compared with HFD group. The time spent in the center of open field increased significantly in SP150-treated rats compared with HFD. SP150 and SP450 significantly decreased immobility time in forced swim test compared with HFD. Leptin levels in HFD group were significantly lower in prefrontal cortex compared to control group. Leptin levels of the HFD + SP450 group were significantly higher than HFD group in the hippocampus. There was no significant difference between groups in Sirtuin-1 levels. In conclusion, SP supplementation in adolescence period might positively affect chronic high fat-induced anxiety-like and depressive-like behavior by partially affecting brain leptin levels and without affecting Sirtuin-1 levels.

Aim: Metabolic disorders appear as risk factors for many diseases. One of the biggest causes of metabolic disorders is a high-fat diet. Increased dietary lipid with a high-fat diet increases lipogenesis and ectopic lipid accumulation, and therefore, increased peripheral insulin resistance leads to inflammatory response, chronic oxidative stress, and progressive organ damage. Exposure to cold induces adaptation to cold and provides adaptation with physiological changes. Bee venom treatment is performed with various methods such as apipuncture and direct injection of bee venom. In our study, the effects of bee venom and cold exposure on blood lipid levels in high-fat fed rats and whether they have synergistic effects were investigated.Methods: 3-week-old Spraque-Dawley male rats (30-40 g) were divided into 7 groups: control, cold stress (CS), high-fat diet (HFD), 0.5 mg/kg bee venom (BV), HFD+CS, HFD+ BV, HFD+CS+ BV. Rats were fed with high fat diet for 8 weeks. For the last 21 days, rats were exposed to cold for 2 hours a day and bee venom was injected subcutaneously for the last 15 days. Animals were sacrificed on the last day and fasting blood glucose was measured. Serum was then obtained, followed by lipid profile measurements. All data were presented as mean±standard error of the mean (SEM). Differences between the groups were assessed with One-way ANOVA Post hoc LSD test pResults: Triglyceride levels were significantly lower in the HFD+ BV group compared to HFD group(p=0.024). HDL was significantly higher in HFD+BV(pConclusions: It has been shown in our study that exposure to cold and bee venom have a synergistic effect on blood lipid levels and fasting blood sugar disorders in a high-fat diet, and bee venom has a regulatory effect on triglyceride.

Exposure to an electromagnetic field (EMF) can have adverse effects on many organs and tissues, including the reproductive system. This study aimed to investigate the effects of EMF exposure during prenatal and postnatal periods on ovarian development in rat offspring. In this study, rat pups born from eight pregnant rats were used. EMF exposure was initiated on the first day of pregnancy and continued until the 42nd postnatal day. The blood and ovarian tissue samples of female offspring in sham and EMF groups were collected when they reached the age of 42 days. Follicle-stimulating hormone levels were significantly higher in the EMF group than in the sham group. Estradiol levels were significantly lower in the EMF group than in the sham group. Tissue-inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels and expression were significantly greater in the EMF group than in the sham group. In the EMF group, congestion, bleeding areas, and degeneration of follicle structures were observed in ovarian tissue. The findings suggest that exposure to 50-Hz, 3-mT EMF used in this study during prenatal and postnatal periods may lead to impaired ovarian structure and function in female offspring. EMF may affect ovarian physiology by increasing iNOS levels and may lead to fertility disorders.

Background and Purpose: The aim is to determine the effect of the communication skills training (CST) using interactive synchronous and asynchronous methods, which was applied for the first time on medical students’ empathy levels. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional-analytical, self-controlled intervention. The distance CST program was applied to first-year medical students. The change in students’ empathy levels was measured with the student version of the Jefferson Empathy Scale. Results: 241 students’ forms were included. Empathy mean score increased significantly, this increase was higher in women. Conclusion: The distance CST produced a positive effect on empathy levels. While interactive PowerPoint® presentations, videos, movie clips, cartoons, real-life examples, written/audio question- answer activities, surveys, feedback and, small group work were used in live lessons; in the asynchronous process, student-based techniques (self-assessment, homework, WhatsApp® sharing) were used to support the online learning climate. We believe that all of them support the cognitive and social existence of students throughout the training. We propose our program as a model that can be used during situations where face-to-face education is not possible and to support face-to-face education in medical education.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) may cause neuropsychiatric problems, such as anxiety disorder, that have negative effects on cognitive functions and behavior. We investigated the effects of progesterone on traumatic brain injury induced anxiety in 7-day-old rat pups subjected to contusion injury. Progesterone treatment decreased TBI induced anxiety and serum corticosterone levels, and increased serum IGF-1 levels. Moreover, progesterone treatment increased amygdala, prefrontal cortex and hippocampal neuron density. We found a negative correlation between serum corticosterone levels and anxiety tests, and a positive correlation between serum IGF-1 levels and anxiety tests. In addition, progesterone treatment decreased serum corticosterone compared to the controls and sham. Our results indicate that single dose progesterone may be effective for treating anxiety caused by TBI.

Objectives: Abuse of organic volatile substances (inhalants) has become a social health problem that is increasing in the recent years. Toluene as a prototype of inhalants can be use via inhalation, intraperitoneal or intravenous for experimental research on rodents. A conditioning paradigm of toluene inhalation was developed the rewarding effect in mice and rats. Aim of this research, investigation of toluene induced reward-seeking behavior at day and night order in melatonin proficient (C3H) and deficient (C57) mice.