Eating too much fat may increase the risk of psychiatric disorders
Diets high in fat may increase the risk of psychiatric disorders. Indeed, they change the composition of the intestinal flora, which also plays a role in brain health.
The intestinal flora (or gut microbiota) has about 100,000 billion bacteria, representing about 1,000 species. These microorganisms are involved in different biological functions: digestion, growth, inflammation, immunity, protection against pathogens. However, changes in the intestinal flora appear to be involved in certain diseases, including neuropsychiatric problems. For example, probiotics taken orally, expected to act on the composition of the intestinal flora, can reduce anxiety.
In addition, the prevalence of mental illness, such as depression and dementia increases with obesity. Studies have shown deficits in learning, memory, executive function in obese people compared to non-obese patients. Modern diets rich in fats and sugars, promote alterations in the gut microbiome.
Louisiana State University researchers have therefore asked whether the microbiome associated with obesity alter the behavior and cognition, even in the absence of obesity in the individual. For this, they used mice non-obese adults who followed a normal diet, but who they are transplanted mouse intestinal microbiota that were fed a high fat diet or a control diet. Their findings appear in Biological Psychiatry.
Anxiety, memory problems, repetitive behaviors
The animals that received microbiota of mice fed the fat have been changes in their behavior: increased anxiety, memory problems and repetitive behaviors. There was also a negative impact on their health: an increase in intestinal permeability and inflammation markers and brain inflammation signs that may have contributed to changes in behavior.
This article suggests that diets high in fats affect the health of the brain changes induced by food in the intestinal flora enough to impair brain function in the absence of obesity. The composition of the intestinal microbiota therefore influences the behavior of the individual.
Microbial metabolism of the gut produces histamine and other neuroactive mediators that could stimulate local nervous system. The gut-brain axis is therefore a potential target for new therapeutic interventions imagine against psychiatric diseases.
No Comment to " Eating too much fat may increase the risk of psychiatric disorders "