A diet high in saturated fats increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease. Changes to various so-called microRNAs may play a crucial role.
A research team led by Professor Mònica Bulló from Rovira i Virgili University (URV) examined the effects of a high-fat diet on the pathogenic processes in Alzheimer's disease as well as on miRNA expression in serum, cortex and hippocampus in mice. The results are in the specialist magazine “Nutrients”
Diet influences Alzheimer's risk
Our diet has a profound influence on the risk of Alzheimer's disease and while some foods such as strawberries can reduce the risk of dementia, high consumption of saturated fat has been linked to an increased risk of the disease.
In previous studies on mice, the researchers were able to show that after a diet high in saturated fats, they developed Alzheimer's disease much earlier than mice that received a conventional diet. However, the mechanisms through which this occurs remain unclear.
On the other hand, insulin resistance-related miRNAs are associated with the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease, the team explains.
Effects on miRNAs examined
The researchers have now examined the effects of diet on the expression of 15 such miRNAs in mice. The mice were fed either a diet high in saturated fats or a normal diet for six months.
In the animals on a high-fat diet, the metabolism deteriorated after six months, their body weight increased significantly and their response to glucose and insulin decreased, the researchers explain. The same characteristics can also be seen in people with obesity or type 2 diabetes.
In addition, the team was also able to detect changes in various miRNAs in both the blood and the brain. According to the experts, these changes were linked to processes that can cause brain damage, such as the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques, excessive production of the tau protein and inflammation in the brain.
New approaches to prevention and treatment
“The results of this study represent an advance in our understanding of this disease and could explain the connection between obesity, type 2 diabetes and the onset of Alzheimer's disease,” sums up Prof. Mònica Bulló.
It is becoming clear how a high-fat diet can affect brain health, and the findings also offer new starting points for possible prevention and treatment of the disease, said the study author.
Overall, the study underlines the importance of a balanced diet in preventing neurodegenerative diseases and highlights miRNAs as targets for therapeutic interventions. (fp)
