Key words: western diet, mouse model, serotonin transporter, behaviour

"The impact of the ‘Western Diet’ on Emotional, Social and Cognitive Behaviours as revealed by a study on conventional and serotonin Transporter-Deficient Mice"

The Western diet is a modern dietary pattern that is characterized by high intake of saturated fat, cholesterol and sugars. The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects Western diet on behaviour, brain changes and metabolism in a mouse model. Western diet consumption in adult mice induced behaviours similar to those associated with autism and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in human. Carriers of a genetic variant that reduces function of serotonin transporter are more susceptible to emotionality-related disorders and prone to obesity and diabetes. The role of reduced function of serotonin transporter was investigated in relation to consequences of Western diet consumption.