| First Author | Spychala A | Year | 2019 |
| Journal | PLoS One | Volume | 14 |
| Issue | 2 | Pages | e0211937 |
| PubMed ID | 30730976 | Mgi Jnum | J:271883 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6280083 | Doi | 10.1371/journal.pone.0211937 |
| Citation | Spychala A, et al. (2019) FTO affects hippocampal function by regulation of BDNF processing. PLoS One 14(2):e0211937 |
| abstractText | Initially, the function of the fat mass and obesity associated (Fto) gene seemed to be primarily the regulation of the body weight. Here we show that loss of Fto results in a hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In consequence, Fto-/- mice display an anxiety-like behavior and impairments in working memory. Furthermore, differentiation of neurons is affected in the hippocampus. As a cause of these impairments we identified a processing defect of the neurotrophin BDNF which is most likely the result of a reduced expression of MMP-9. Therefore, we propose FTO as a possible new target to develop novel approaches for the treatment of diseases associated with hippocampal disorders. In parallel, we also would like to make the point that any anti-obesity therapy via blocking FTO function can have negative effects on the proper function of the hippocampus. |
