iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Why we think it is important: 1) once again adolescent diet has long-lasting impact even when body weight is normalised 3) sex matters and same diets could have different effects 4) long-term alterations of feeding control may lead to maladaptive food choice and feeding patterns.

static.klipy.com

Joey Tribiani: Is That A Sandwich?

ALT: Joey Tribiani: Is That A Sandwich?

000

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Finally we did some correlational analyses showing that weigh gain and fat mass accumulation can be correlated with long-term changes in feeding behaviours but that it was 1) sex-dependent and 2) dependent of which kind of feeding you are talking about.

static.klipy.com

Joey Tribbiani Asks 'What Are We Having?'

ALT: Joey Tribbiani Asks 'What Are We Having?'

100

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

But we also looked if that was due to a more general alteration of food reward processes. So we used classic saccharin 2-botlle preference tests and observed no difference at all, suggesting these mice do not have changes in their taste/palatability sensitivity (at least with sweet).

static.klipy.com

Joey Tribbiani's 'Yes Yes' Cookie Moment

ALT: Joey Tribbiani's 'Yes Yes' Cookie Moment

100

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

We then tested them using different palatable (HF) foods. This was done only in sated (not hungry) state. Once again we saw that with time all vHFD-exposed mice ate more of these rewarding foods. Taken together, we think this could predispose these mice to overconsumption

static.klipy.com

Thanksgiving Happy Thanksgiving

ALT: Thanksgiving Happy Thanksgiving

100

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

We first looked at their food intake for standard diet (chow) when they were not especially hungry or after overnight fasting. Through 6h test, all vHFD-exposed mice ate more than controls at basal state. However when they were refed after fasting (high hunger drive), there was obvious difference.

static.klipy.com

Friends Joey: Fridge Broke, Had to Eat Everything

ALT: Friends Joey: Fridge Broke, Had to Eat Everything

100

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

As perviously observed, vHFD impact on body weight and fat mass is more obvious in males than in females. But we know from before it does not always mean there is no impact of other processes

static.klipy.com

Joey Tribbiani's Iconic 'Well Obviously' Moment

ALT: Joey Tribbiani's Iconic 'Well Obviously' Moment

100

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Using mice, we gave them ad lib access to only chow diet (balanced diet) or a choice of chow and very high fat diet (vHFD, 60% kcal from fat) specifically during adolescence (post natal day 28 to 63). All our investigations were done at adulthood 4 months after mice were back on healthy diet

static.klipy.com

Joey Tribbiani: Not Even Sorry

ALT: Joey Tribbiani: Not Even Sorry

100

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

New preprint from the lab. Continuing from our work on adolescent HFD exposure and action control (see NNP paper here doi.org/10.1038/s41386-026-02419-w), we also looked at the potential long-term impact on different for of feeding. A thread (with gifs of Joey)

140

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

The calm before the storm. In few weeks the Old Aberdeen campus will be full of students again @uniofaberdeen.bsky.social. Come study neuroscience with us www.abdn.ac.uk/study/underg...

000

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

It was an amazing symposium this afternoon on Neural networks and memory integration at #FENS2026. So much interesting things on the nature of engrams, social stress transmission, incidental associations and dynamic choice.

020

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

The lab and its work is well represented at #FENS2026. Come to see Dip's and Kate's posters this morning. Do not hesitate to come for a chat if you see me. @rowettinstitute.bsky.social @aberdeenneuro.bsky.social

041

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

The lab will at #FENS2026 nxt wk. Come to see: - me on Tues 7 talking about our recent NPP paper and more - Mhari: poster PS02-07PM-003 Tues 7 - Diptendu: PS03-08AM-251 Wed 8 - Kate: PS03-08AM-253 Wed 8 And learn about sugar during adolescence, PFC circuits, ctrl of food seeking and envt enrichment

050

Reposted by Fabien Naneix

Lauren Reynolds @laurenmac.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

I am hiring a postdoc to work with me on my ERC Starting Grant project DeMARRe - investigating whether exploration or risk-taking in adolescence influence neural circuit development to calibrate psychiatric vulnerability and resilience in adulthood. Details and application at the link below ⬇️

emploi.cnrs.fr

085

Reposted by Fabien Naneix

ACNP @acnporg.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

NPP in the News...Check out a recent @acnporg.bsky.social paper on What you eat as a teenager may shape food choices later in life at bit.ly/3Pm35NL. The full article on Adolescent obesity induces sex-specific alterations of action control can be found at bit.ly/3Rp96Kb

bit.ly

What you eat as a teenager may shape food choices later in life

New research from the University of Aberdeen Rowett Institute suggests that an unhealthy diet during adolescence could have long-lasting effects on how the brain makes decisions about food—even after ...

032

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

Be kind to yourself and take care of yourself first. Be mindful of others as you may not know what they are dealing with.

static.klipy.com

Mental Health Is Health Penguin

ALT: Mental Health Is Health Penguin

020

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

I am sharing this because 1) it is important to be open about the reality and not pretend everything's fine 2) to reassure people who could go through tough times themselves that they are not alone 3) that it should not fully define you and block you in your life (but it will not always be easy).

100

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

In my job, it could be a tough thing. it took me long to acknowledge it was not a temporary thing. It took me even longer to seek for help, start therapy and medication. I am still a bit embarrassed when I have to disclose it or decline a social event because I am not feeling up for it.

100

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

It is #MentalAwarenessWeek so time to share some personal things. I'm Fabien, I'm 40, I'm a lecturer and group leader. From the outside it could look like I am doing fine. In reality, I am struggling with social anxiety which takes me close to depression for > 20 years.

141

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

You can read the thread I previously wrote on the preprint. I also want to thank the wonderful feedback of @shaunaparkes.bsky.social, @ecoutureau.bsky.social, Guillaume Ferreira and Jaime McCutcheon on first drafts of the manuscript!

020

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Our work on sex-dependent impact of high-fat diets during adolescence on action control is now published in @npp-journal.bsky.social Thank you to the amazing work from my team and the positive feedback from reviewers @rowettinstitute.bsky.social @aberdeenneuro.bsky.social doi.org/10.1038/s413...

doi.org

Adolescent obesity induces sex-specific alterations of action control - Neuropsychopharmacology

Neuropsychopharmacology - Adolescent obesity induces sex-specific alterations of action control

1206

Reposted by Fabien Naneix

Alessandro Piccin @apiccin.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Very proud to share our most recent work, now out in @cp-cellreports.bsky.social 🎉🎉🎉 We show that brief noradrenergic signals in the orbitofrontal cortex, triggered by surprising rewards, support reversal learning and predict how quickly animals adapt. www.cell.com/cell-reports...

cell.com

Orbitofrontal noradrenaline acts as an early gate for reversal learning

Piccin et al. find that surprising rewards trigger brief orbitofrontal noradrenergic bursts whose magnitude predicts reversal learning speed. Targeted manipulation of noradrenergic neurons projecting ...

43714

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

We believe it is important bc: 1) different diets have different impact, 2) this could long-term & long-lasting, 3) sex matters and same diets could have different effects 4) long-term alterations of action control may have consequences on future food choice but also on decision-making in general

media.tenor.com

a cookie monster is sitting on a tray with plates of food

ALT: a cookie monster is sitting on a tray with plates of food

240

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

We tested using two procedures: contingency reversal and contingency degradation. In both cases we saw that adolescent diet was impairing the process. But in this case, only the vHFD males were impaired, while both HFD and vHFD-exposed females were impaired. More sex-differences!

media.tenor.com

a close up of a man 's face with the word rules written in white

ALT: a close up of a man 's face with the word rules written in white

130

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

We then tested another important parameter for action control: the mental representation of action-outcome relationships. In simple term, they know they press because it gives them the food reward. If the rules change and they have a flexible control, they should adapt their behaviour accordingly

media.tenor.com

ice cube says " actions have consequences " in front of a black background

ALT: ice cube says " actions have consequences " in front of a black background

120

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Interestingly, HFD exposure during adolescence seems to alters the balance between these 2 control modes as HFD-exposed mice switch to more habitual responses earlier during training than control mice. This is true for HFD (45%) and vHFD (60%) exposed males but only for vHFD exposed females!

media.tenor.com

Gtv The Voice GIF

ALT: Gtv The Voice GIF

120

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

First we changed the value of the food reward associated with their action by sating them (outcome devaluation). With typical goal-directed control, mice should stop pressing the lever as the food is not desirable anymore, while with habitual control they would continue to press.

media.tenor.com

a woman sits at a table with a plate of food on it

ALT: a woman sits at a table with a plate of food on it

120

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

We then looked at how these mice, once back on normal diet, were flexible in their action control. We used a simple instrumental learning task and check how their behaviour was more goal-directed or habitual.

media.tenor.com

a woman sitting at a table with the words i 'm just goal oriented on the bottom

ALT: a woman sitting at a table with the words i 'm just goal oriented on the bottom

120

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

First, we saw that impact on body weight and glucose homeostasis was very diet-dependent but also sex-dependent with females being less vulnerable (at least on these parameters)

media.tenor.com

Sugarrush GIF

ALT: Sugarrush GIF

150

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Using mice, we gave them ad lib access to balanced diet (chow) or high fat diet (HFD, 45 or 60% fat content) specifically during adolescence (post natal day 28 to 63). All our investigations were done at adulthood once mice were back on just healthy diet

media.tenor.com

a cartoon of winnie the pooh sitting at a table with a plate of food and the words food is here

ALT: a cartoon of winnie the pooh sitting at a table with a plate of food and the words food is here

120

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

So grateful to share the "first" preprint from the lab. Long overdue but I am very happy about the work which has been done in my team. We explored how the consumption of different obesogenic diets during adolescence was having long-term impact impact goal-directed and habitual behaviours. A thread

1262

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 24/11/2025

Oh hell! You guys too? Support from the North

010

Reposted by Fabien Naneix

ebbsociety.bsky.social @ebbsociety.bsky.social · 21/11/2025

📢 EBBS Travel Awards for FENS 2026! EBBS is offering 6 travel grants (PhD students & early postdocs) to attend the FENS Forum 2026 in Barcelona 💸€700 support, in-person participation required 🗓️Deadline: 12 January 2026 More info 👉 www.ebbs-science.org/EBBS_awards#...

ebbs-science.org

EBBS :: EBBS awards

Website of the European Brain and Behaviour Society

044

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 19/11/2025

Using cutting edge behavioural and circuit neuroscience approaches in mice, you will investigate the impact of sugar consumption during early life on decision-making and brain circuits. DL for application: 15th Dec 2025. Please share to anyone interested.

051

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 09/11/2025

Entering in my 40s with style. This year has been bumpy on so many aspects but the continuous support of @katepeters3.bsky.social and this little research trip in Canada have been the highlight!

160

Reposted by Fabien Naneix

Mark Haselgrove @markhaselgrove.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Excellent talk by @katepeters3.bsky.social, who visited us at @notts-psych.bsky.social today to speak about "Effects of environmental enrichment in reducing food seeking and the role of corticolimbic circuits"

144

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 09/10/2025

I am attending the #FENS2026 forum in Barcelona next July. And I am over the moon that our symposium with @borglandlab.bsky.social, Serge Luquet and @dr-ahorstmann.bsky.social on "Neurobiological mechanisms on the cognitive control of feeding in the modern food environment" was accepted!

0121

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 07/10/2025

We can have sun (sometime) in the North of Scotland. And the Old @uniofaberdeen.bsky.social campus looks always beautiful.

020

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

2) students ls from North America have often more extensive background and experience than a lot UK applicants. So they should not hesitate to reach out the labs/PIs.

110

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

In the UK they do not "really" require a MSc to start a PhD. But access to funding through graduate programs is very competitive and committees usually prefer people with MSc degree. That being said 1) this is not true for already funded lab/PhD topic and...

110

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 11/08/2025

I had the best time at the @hotchkissbrain.bsky.social @ucalgary.bsky.social this last month. Thank you @borglandlab.bsky.social for having me around 🥰😍. I hope it is the start of a long and fruitful collaboration together.

150

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

@marionrivalan.bsky.social introducing the very nice initiative of the Behaviour Forum www.cost-teatime.org/about/thebeh...

010

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

Spent the last two days as an observer on different grant panel boards. First the MRC @ukri.org then the @wellcometrust.bsky.social . Enriching and genuinely very informative experience I would recommend especially for young PIs. www.ukri.org/what-we-do/d... wellcome.org/research-fun...

ukri.org

MRC board and panel observer scheme

This scheme offers the opportunity for early to mid-career researchers to observe an MRC board or panel funding meeting and how the funding decisions are made.

000

Fabien Naneix @fabnaneix.bsky.social · 07/06/2025

Had the best past month having finally @katepeters3.bsky.social in Aberdeen. Both working and enjoying what felt like normal life. Can't wait to do this again with my partner in crime.

020