How can resveratrol, an AMPK activator1 influence hibernation preparation and duration in yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris)?

This research study proposal aims to determine the effects of resveratrol administration on hibernation in yellow-bellied marmots. Resveratrol is a polyphenic stilbene with a broad range of effects; it has been shown to mimic caloric restriction, activate AMP-activated protein kinase, and influence leptin and adiponectin, neuropeptide-Y, and other hormones and cytokines involved in food intake and body mass regulation. To this date, many of resveratrols targets have been studied in hibernating marmots, but resveratrol has not. Since hibernation represents a transient form of mammalian obesity, the outcomes of this proposed study will spur future work on the battle against an overweight culture