Eating junk food like cheeseburgers and fries can affect your brain in surprising ways. A recent study from the University of North Carolina (UNC) School of Medicine shows that a high-fat diet can change how your memory works, raising the chance of long-term issues like dementia.
Lead researcher, Professor Juan Song, explains that just four days of eating fatty foods can start to scramble your brain. A group of cells in the hippocampus, known as CCK interneurons, become overly active. This happens because the brain struggles to get enough glucose, which it needs for energy. This disturbance can mess with memory processing even before weight gain occurs.
Song pointed out that they didn’t expect such specific brain cells to be affected so quickly. They also discovered a protein called PKM2, which plays a role in energy use by brain cells. When fatty foods interfere with this protein, it leads to memory problems. However, when glucose levels are restored, memory often improves. Still, some experts stress the importance of overall diet—something as simple as adjusting what you eat may reverse some of this damage.
Interestingly, the study found that intermittent fasting could help too. In tests with mice, fasting helped restore normal brain activity and improve memory after a high-fat diet. This suggests that small lifestyle changes, like when and how you eat, can have a big impact on brain health.
The research leaders emphasize that improving glucose delivery to the brain may be key in fighting memory impairments. They suggest that even after a high-fat meal, having it after a fast could be beneficial.
As research continues, scientists are examining whether these findings will hold true for humans. They may also explore if dietary strategies can lower the risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s. If these approaches prove effective, they could change how we think about treating cognitive decline related to obesity and poor diet.
Experts are optimistic. According to a 2023 report by the World Health Organization, conditions like Alzheimer’s are projected to affect millions globally. Understanding how our diets influence brain health might help prevent some of these issues down the line.
For anyone curious about the connection between diet and brain health, it’s clear that what we eat matters more than we might think. Simple changes can go a long way in protecting our cognitive function.
References:
- Landry, T. et al. (2025). Targeting glucose-inhibited hippocampal CCK interneurons prevents cognitive impairment in diet-induced obesity. Neuron. Read the study here.
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