Research theses
The consumption of ultraprocessed food or a high‑fat diet (HFD) has been associated with an increased risk of developing Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), primarily through mechanisms involving neuroinflammation and metabolic dysfunction. Emerging evidence indicates that these effects are sex‑dependent. Here we will study the effect of HFD and chronic stress in the development of a depressive-like phenotype in mice, and the effect on inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction. In addition, we will analyze the effect of rapid acting antidepressant drugs in this animal model, and the signaling pathways associated to the behavioural effect in male and female animals. This study would allow us to broaden the knowledge associated with difficult to treat depression, and sex‑specific mechanisms.