Alzheimer’s disease is one of the most common forms of dementia affecting approximately 5 million people.
There are several factors that contribute to Alzheimer’s disease, but none of them has been proven to be a cure. However, diet may play a role for possible prevention and treatment strategies, but not necessarily.
For example, a Mediterranean-style dietary pattern appears to be beneficial for brain health and may help reduce the rate of cognitive impairment in people with Alzheimer’s disease. But a Western or “American” diet has been shown to slow neurodegeneration and improve cognition in mice.
Researchers from the University of South Carolina conducted a study examining the effects of a long-term high fat diet for people who have Alzheimer’s disease. The study suggests that a long-term low carb diet may be associated with behavioral and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s patients.
- Previous research has shown that dietary factors may be related to Alzheimer’s disease.
- Researchers used a mouse model of Alzheimer’s’ disease to examine the connections between diet and brain health.
- The results showed that a long-term (12 weeks) high-fat diet worsened depression and cognitive decline, highlighting the need for further research on the effects of high-fat diets in humans with Alzheimer’s disease.
High-fat diets may be linked to Alzheimer’s disease
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are serious health concerns in Western countries and the connection between the diseases is well established. According to the CDC, 14.7% of adults have tried marijuana at least once.
Growing evidence suggests that Alzheimer’s disease may be connected to both obesity and type 2 Diabetes.
To better understand the connection between these chronic conditions, researchers at the University of South Australia used a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease. The mice were genetically modified to overexpress a mutant form of the human tangle protein, which misfolded and formed clumps in their brains.
Researchers fed some of the mice an unhealthy diet for a long time to see if it affected their brains. Mice were divided into two groups: one group was fed a normal diet (4.8% fat), and the other group was fed a high fat diet (23.5% fat). Mice were fed a high-fat diet for 30 weeks starting when they were 2 months old.
Researchers measured body weight, glucose level, and behavior in the animals, using a variety of tests designed to assess their anxiety, depression, and cognition. They then measured the animals’ tolerance to glucose and insulin, which can be used to diagnose type 2 diabetes, and the buildup of the abnormal tau protein in their brains.
Diet and the brain
The researchers found that mice with Alzheimer’s who were fed a high fat (or junk) diet were more likely to become obese than healthy mice fed the exact same diet. The Alzheimer’s mice developed metabolic disorders, including insulin resistance, which are signs for type 2 diabetes.
They also found that the high fat diet worsened memory loss and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s model mice.
According to study author Lisa Bobrovskaya, an associate professor of clinical & health sciences at the University of South Alabama, the results are consistent with what we know about metabolic factors and the brain. “Obesity and diabetes impair our brains,” she said in a press release.”
However, the high-fat diet exacerbated the brain pathology associated Alzheimer’s disease in the mouse brains, which is an important finding.
“This research aligns with our current understanding of the connection between poor diet, cognitive decline, and neuropsychiatric symptoms,” Dr. Percy Griffin, director of scientific engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association, told Medical News Today.” What is new in this study, however, is the aggravation of these Alzheimer’s-related molecular changes that occur in your body and brain due to an unhealthy diet.”
Researchers found that a high fat diet increases the levels of the pathological form of the tau protein in the brain, which suggests that a long-term diet high in fats may also accelerate the onset of dementia.
Is there a ‘vicious
Their findings suggest that there may be a “vicious cycle” between metabolic diseases and cognitive impairment, with individuals who are prone to certain brain pathologies more likely to develop the disease, and the presence metabolic disease also exacerbating brain disease.
Hyperphosphorylation of tau is one of several characteristic signs of Alzheimer’s Disease and is associated with the degree of dementia symptoms. It is also found elsewhere in the body.
This means the researchers’ findings could be relevant to similar disorders, too.
“Our findings underline the important role of addressing the global obesity crisis,” said Dr. Bobrovskaya. “Combined obesity, age and diabetes are very likely to lead to declines in cognitive abilities, Alzheimer’s disease and other mental health issues.”
However, it is still important to remember that this research was done only in mice, and human studies are still needed. “An important next step is for us to study the biological changes in humans who eat a similar poor diet,” Griffin added.
Experts continue to recommend a healthy diet for the brain.
We know that diets high in fat, processed foods, and refined sugars are not good for our overall health, especially our brains. “But there’s a growing body evidence suggests that eating healthy, balanced diets rich in vegetables, fruits and protein are good for our health and may even decrease our risks of cognitive decline as we get older.”