2024-03-16 18:05:06
A recent study reveals the detrimental effects of a high-fat diet on memory in both young adults and older adults, and how supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids might mitigate these effects.
The dangers of a fatty diet before surgery
Consuming fatty foods in the days before surgery might induce an increased inflammatory response in the brain, according to animal research at Ohio State University. This response interferes with memory-related cognitive functions for weeks in older adults, and, as the new study suggests, also in younger adults.
The results, building on previous research from the same laboratory, also showed that supplementation with the omega-3 fatty acid DHA for one month before the unhealthy diet and surgical procedure prevented memory effects related to both high-fat diet and surgery in old and young adult rats.
Brain inflammation and memory
Three days of a high-fat diet alone was detrimental to a specific type of fear-related memory in aged rats up to two weeks later – the same type of impairment observed in young rats that ate high-fat diets. fatty foods and underwent a surgical procedure. The research team linked the brain inflammation behind these effects to a protein activating the immune response.
A synergistic inflammatory response
“These data suggest that these multiple insults have a cumulative effect,” said Ruth Barrientos, lead author of the study. Unhealthy eating, even in the short term, especially when consumed so close to surgery, can have damaging results. The study was recently published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
The role of omega-3 fatty acids
The study also found that blocking the TLR4 signaling pathway before diet and surgery completely prevented this neuroimmune response and memory deficits. Moreover, DHA supplementation attenuated these inflammatory effects and prevented memory deficits following surgeryoffering a promising prospect for preventive treatments.
Effects on different types of memory
The results showed that in aged rats, the combination of a high-fat diet and surgery led to problems with both contextual memory and conditioned fear memory that persisted for at least two weeks. Intriguingly, the high-fat diet alone also impaired conditioned fear memory in aged rats.
Implications for humans
With growing evidence suggesting that fatty and highly processed foods can trigger inflammation-related memory problems in brains of all ages, the consistent findings that the omega-3 fatty acid DHA has a protective effect are compelling. “DHA was really effective in preventing these changes,” Barrientos said, highlighting the potential of omega-3 fatty acids as a preventative treatment, especially for individuals undergoing surgery and eating an unhealthy diet.
This research, supported by grants from the National Institute on Aging and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, opens new perspectives on the prevention of cognitive disorders linked to diet and inflammation.
Source of the study:
1710619099
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