Calorie Restriction

Calorie restriction in animal and human societies can be brought about by famine, drought, and other natural disasters.

We believe that calorie restriction causes epigenetic changes, the process by which the activity of our genes is modified in real-time. These changes can lead to altered behaviour in individuals which in turn could impact society as a whole. Mapping epigenetic changes in calorie-restricted animal models will identify how reduced calories alter behaviour. The physical benefits of calorie restriction are well known, namely, it leads to longer and healthier lives. Our data indicates that calorie restriction has the potential to relieve mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. However, encouraging individuals to adhere to calorie restriction is difficult.  We plan to identify the biological mechanisms by which calorie restriction reduces anxiety and use this information to develop innovative pharmacological strategies for reducing anxiety and depression. ‍

Our Research

Less is more: calorie restriction as a therapeutic for mental health disorders

This mini‑review explored the potential of calorie restriction (CR) and calorie‑restriction mimetics (CRMs) to treat anxiety, depression, and addiction‑like symptoms. It found that CR and select CRMs, including resveratrol, rapamycin, and semaglutide, demonstrate promising anxiolytic, antidepressant, and anti-addictive effects via modulation of mood‑related pathways, CREB signaling, and reward processing. The study outlines overlapping molecular mechanisms and highlights the clinical promise of metabolic interventions in psychiatric treatment.

Crosstalk between short- and long-term calorie restriction transcriptomic signatures with anxiety-like behavior, aging, and neurodegeneration: implications for drug repurposing

This study investigated the effects of short- and long-term calorie restriction (CR) on behaviour and genetic changes in different tissues of male rats. Both short- and long-term CR reduced anxiety-like behaviour but induced different genetic changes. The study provides insights into the global effects of CR and suggests new avenues for the treatment of emotional disorders, neurodegeneration, and obesity.

Long-term calorie restriction alters anxiety-like behaviour and the brain and adrenal gland transcriptomes of the ageing male ratThis study investigated the effects of long-term calorie restriction (CR) on anxiety-like behaviour across the lifetime of male rats. The results showed that CR reduces anxiety, with the strongest effects observed at 6 months of age. The study also gathered information on the genetic changes induced by CR, providing possible new therapeutic targets for treating anxiety. 

Paternal calorie restriction prior to conception alters anxiety-like behavior of the adult rat progeny

This study investigated the influence of paternal calorie restriction (CR) on anxiety-like behaviour in adult rat offspring, finding that CR reduces anxiety. Additionally, the offspring of CR males showed reduced weight gain and food intake, suggesting that the CR effect can be passed to the next generation.

The social behavior of male rats administered an adult-onset calorie restriction regimen

This study examined the effects of calorie restriction (CR) on adult male rats' social behaviour. A 25% reduction in calories caused increased social activity and less non-social behaviour. 

Effects of adult-onset calorie restriction on anxiety-like behaviour in rats.

This study investigated the effects of calorie restriction (CR) on anxiety-like behaviour in rats in multiple tests of anxiety. CR was found to reduce anxiety-like behaviour.