gms | German Medical Science

Objective: According to WHO the worldwide obesity has nearly tripled in the past 50 years; almost 2 billion adults were overweighed in 2016. In order to provide a novel approach in the therapy of obesity, we investigated in this experiment the effects of Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) in Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) on the metabolism of mice.

Methods: We put B6 mice on high fat diet and performed surgery to implant DBS electrodes in bilateral NAc. Subjects were divided in either a high frequently stimulated group (N=10) or a sham stimulated one (N=10). After a short period of acute stimulation, animals were chronically stimulated for 6 weeks. Body weight has been monitored during the complete experiment. Energy expenditure and locomotor activity have been measured with calorific cages, once during the acute stimulation phase and once again after the chronic stimulation phase. Behavioral tests (social interaction and openfield) have also been performed during acute and after chronic stimulation.

Results: Energy expenditure and locomotor activity showed a parallel course in both groups. Also in the body weight development, we could see no significant difference. The results of the behavioral tests showed no significant difference in the behavior of the animals in both groups.

Conclusion: These results suggest that BDS of NAc might not be efficient in the therapy of obesity. This confirms the difficulties in modulating metabolic parameters, especially in obesity. Nevertheless our results suggest the safety of DBS of NAc by showing no significant depressive effects in the stimulated group.