Neurobiology

Several animal models are used in the laboratory. The effect of intrauterine hyperglycemia was evaluated using a model of gestational diabetes that caused microsomia and neurodevelopmental delay in the offspring. In addition, a damage in a specific brain region (the hippocampus) related to cell survival could be observed in a juvenile stage. Through these studies, we describe short- and long-term effects on brain development associated with cell survival, cell death, and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus of the progeny of mothers with experimental diabetes.
Using another experimental model, we evaluated the effects on the limbic system caused by the overconsumption of sugary drinks during postnatal development. In this proposal, the objective was to describe whether the excessive activation of the brain reward system, due to a high consumption of sugar in drinking water, produces long-term effects on specific brain regions. To date, we have described that excessive consumption of sugar in the early stages of life induces long-term effects on behaviors related to fear and anxiety. These studies are of great importance to society due to the increasing consumption of carbohydrates, especially in the younger groups of the community.
On the other hand we study the action of native plants from the Andes. A wide variety of chemical compounds can be obtained from natural products offering unlimited opportunities for the development of new drugs. In the laboratory we developed biological assays to study the therapeutic action of decoctions and extracts from certain plants traditionally consumed. Using specific animal models we evaluated plants that affect plasma glucose, triglyceride and/or cholesterol levels. In addition to the effects at the plasma level, we evaluated changes in peripheral tissues (liver, adipose tissue, muscle) and central tissues (specific regions of the brain, related to energy metabolism) focusing on the expression of receptors for oxysteroids and the induction of related genes to these.