... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: ANI | Published : August 28, 2019 8:53 AM IST
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disorder that causes brain cells to waste away and die. © Shutterstock
A recent study has revealed that a high-fat diet during gestation guards the fetus against changes in the brain that may lead to Alzheimer's disease later.
The study was published in the journal ' Molecular Psychiatry'.
Genetic factors transmitted by mothers to their offspring seem like an obvious explanation behind this phenomenon, but so far no genes have been identified that could explain the maternal transmission of Alzheimer's disease.
To better understand the unique relationship between maternal Alzheimer's disease and risk in her offspring, Dr Pratico and colleagues looked at maternal fat intake specifically during the gestation period in mice engineered to develop Alzheimer's disease.
Pregnant mice were fed a high-fat diet from the beginning until the end of gestation. The moment offspring were born, mothers were switched to a regular diet, which was maintained during the lactation period. Offspring of these mothers were always kept at the same regular, or standard, diet throughout their life.
At 11 months of age, offspring underwent behavioural tests to assess learning ability and memory. "Surprisingly, we found that animals from mothers fed a high-fat diet during gestation had better learning and memory skills than their counterparts born to mothers fed a regular diet during gestation," Dr Pratico said.
The observed improvements in memory and learning were associated with the maintenance of good synaptic integrity. In fact, offspring from mothers exposed to a high-fat diet had significant improvement of synapse function when compared with offspring from mothers on a regular diet. Synapses, the places where neurons come together to relay information, play a vital role in learning and memory formation.
