Palmitoylethanolamide dampens neuroinflammation and anxiety-like behavior in obese mice
Laboratory studyOther animals
- Design
- Laboratory study
- Subjects
- 33 male mice, 11 per group: standard diet, high-fat diet, and high-fat diet with palmitoylethanolamide
- Dose used in the study
- 30 mg/kg a day by mouth
- Duration
- 7 weeks, after 12 weeks on the high-fat diet
- What was measured
- Anxiety-like behaviour in an open field test, blood inflammatory markers, brain neurotransmitters, brain inflammation and the blood-brain barrier
What the authors reported
Treated obese mice explored the open centre of the arena more (6.94 against 4.07 m), had lower TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta in blood, restored GABA levels in the amygdala, and showed less activation of brain immune cells. In cell experiments, blocking PPAR-alpha removed the effects.
Limits of this study
Male mice only, in one model of obesity, with no long-term follow-up. The authors note that they cannot separate effects in the body from effects in the brain. It does not show an effect in people. Epitech Group part-funded the study and employs one author.
Source
Entry checked against the full text at the publisher (ScienceDirect) on 2026-09-21. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.