NEW DELHI– Indulging in fatty fast food for as little as four days may impair memory and cognitive performance, according to new research from the University of North Carolina (UNC).
The study, published in the journal Neuron, found that high-fat diets — such as those heavy in cheeseburgers, fries, and other junk foods — can disrupt the brain’s hippocampus, the region crucial for memory, well before weight gain or diabetes set in.
Researchers discovered that a specific group of hippocampal neurons, known as CCK interneurons, became overactive in mice exposed to a high-fat diet. This hyperactivity was traced to reduced glucose availability in the brain, which impaired memory processing.
“We knew that diet and metabolism could affect brain health, but we didn’t expect to find such a specific and vulnerable group of brain cells that were directly disrupted by short-term high-fat diet exposure,” said Juan Song, professor of pharmacology at UNC School of Medicine and senior author of the study. “What surprised us most was how quickly these cells changed their activity in response to reduced glucose availability, and how this shift alone was enough to impair memory.”
The study also identified the protein PKM2 as a key regulator in how brain cells use energy, suggesting it plays a major role in diet-related cognitive decline.
In experiments, restoring brain glucose levels calmed overactive neurons and reversed memory problems in mice. Researchers further found that dietary interventions — such as intermittent fasting — were effective in normalizing brain activity and improving memory, even after exposure to junk food.
The findings underscore how quickly diet can influence brain health and highlight the potential for early interventions, ranging from dietary adjustments to targeted therapies, to prevent obesity-related neurodegeneration. (Source: IANS)
