In addition, males, but not females, showed increased caloric intake and reduction of the hypothalamic LepR induced by the diet, suggesting a central leptin resistance, while females showed central adaptation to the adiponectin signal in response to both PNS and HFD; (3) in males, HFD resulted in increased anxiety in the EPM, which was buffered in those subjects previously exposed to PNS; (4) in females, HFD led to higher total Bdnf mRNA expression in the hypothalamus and ventral hippocampus, an indirect indication of greater plasticity in response to metabolic challenges in this sex. The gene discussed is ADIPOQ; the disease is Anxiety.