Gluten affects behaviors related to activity and anxiety in mice fed high fat diets

Gluten is a protein that is present in a variety of grains and is added to many food products, such as pasta and bread. There are three disorders related to gluten consumption: Celiac disease (CD), wheat allergy, and non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). CD and wheat allergies can be tested for and involve intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms, including a variety of neurological conditions. Individuals with NCGS are diagnosed if they have an adverse reaction to gluten, including intestinal and neurological effects such as “brain fog”. To study the impact of gluten on brain function and test our hypothesis that diets with gluten would impair cognitive function in the presence of a high fat diet, wildtype mice were fed 35% fat (kcal) in the absence or presence of gluten (3.4 g/100g diet). Body fat, food consumption, oral glucose tolerance tests and various behavioral tests were evaluated after 2-3 months of dietary intervention. Mice had similar body weights, body fat percentages, and oral glucose tolerance tests regardless of dietary gluten. Food consumption was also similar in both groups of mice. In behavioral studies, mice fed gluten stayed longer and traveled further in the open arm of an Elevated Platform Maze, an indication of reduced anxiety, and had increased locomotor activity compared to mice not fed gluten whereas mice fed diets with or without gluten had similar results from the Morris Water Maze and a restraint test, indications of similar memory and stress. Thus, dietary gluten impacts behavior in mice fed high fat diets.