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A new animal model of obesity: photoperiod induced obesity in the short-tailed field vole (Microtus agrestis)
Reference
S12830
Principal Investigator / Supervisor
Professor John Speakman
Co-Investigators /
Co-Supervisors
Institution
University of Aberdeen
Department
Inst of Biological and Environmental Sci
Funding type
Research
Value (£)
195,598
Status
Completed
Type
Research Grant
Start date
02/05/2000
End date
02/11/2003
Duration
42 months
Abstract
The short-tailed field vole exhibits a dramatic increase in body mass and fat content over a period of about 4 weeks when animals are transferred from short to long photoperiods in the cold (8oC). The change is not accompanied by an increase in food consumption indicating that the lipostatic signalling system that feeds back into food intake is disrupted. The purpose of the current proposal is threefold. First, to investigate the energetic basis of the mass change during direct measurements of animal energy expenditure: respirometry and doubly- labelled water. Second, to investigate the variation in peripheral and neuroendocrinological parameters (circulating leptin levels and brain levels of NPY, POMC, CART, MSH, Galanin and Ob-R) accompanying the change in body mass and fatness. Finally, to investigate the regulatory nature of changes in the levels of these hormones by peripheral and central administration of leptin and perturbing the energy balance of the animals by more extreme cold and warm exposure in addition to short-term starvation.
Summary
unavailable
Committee
Closed Committee - Animal Sciences (AS)
Research Topics
X – not assigned to a current Research Topic
Research Priority
X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative
X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme
X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme
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