Fig. 4: A high-fat diet alters gliosis in the brainstem but not the hypothalamus.

Astrogliosis and microglial infiltration determined by the degree of GFAP immunoreactivity (a–e) and density of Iba1 positive cells (f–j), respectively. HFD significantly decreased GFAP immunoreactivity but did not affect microglial density. Diet had no influence on the glial landscape of the arcuate nucleus. Representative images (20x) of the DVC of lean (k) and obese rats (l) and of the hypothalamus of lean (m) and obese rats (n). Images were quantified in ImageJ and analyzed using unpaired t-tests; *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001 compared to the lean group (n = 6 per group). AP, area postrema; NTS, nucleus tractus solitarius; sub-AP, sub-area postrema; cc, central canal; 3V, third ventricle.