A research team led by the Universitat Rovira Virgili (URV) He discovered the mechanism that is linked to the act of consumption A diet high in saturated fat with Alzheimer's disease. Research has focused on seeing how this diet affects molecules in the blood and other tissues such as the brain, which act as markers and regulators of disease.
The study led to this Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology Professor Monica Polo, from the Nutrition and Metabolic Health (NuMeH) Research Group and the Center for Environmental, Food and Toxicological Technology (TecnATox) of the URV, in collaboration with the Pere Virgili Institute for Health Research (IISPV), CIBERobn and the University of Barcelona. The results were published in the journal Nutrients.
The search was conducted in A mouse model of Alzheimer's disease in adulthood. Previous studies on these animals have shown that after following a high-fat diet, they ended up getting sick much earlier than those who followed a conventional diet. What was not known were the mechanisms that led to the development of the disease, which have now been resolved.
To do this, the research team analyzed the expression of 15 microRNAs (miRNAs), Small RNA molecules that play a crucial role in gene regulationEither in plasma or brain tissue. We examined changes in insulin-related microRNAs in mouse models with and without a predisposition to Alzheimer's disease fed a high-fat diet, especially the saturated type.
The results showed that his metabolism worsened after following this diet for six months, with a significant increase in body weight and Worse response to glucose and insulinThese characteristics are similar to obesity and type 2 diabetes in people.
In addition, it was noted Many microRNAs change in both blood and brain. These changes have been linked to processes that can damage the brain, such as the buildup of beta-amyloid plaques (clumps of protein that form in the brain and serve as markers of Alzheimer's disease); Overproduction of tau protein (which, when out of control, can lead to damage to brain cells) and inflammation within the brain, which is also linked to this disease.
“The results obtained in this study represent an advance in knowledge of the mechanism that would explain this The relationship between obesity, type 2 diabetes and the development of Alzheimer's disease. In addition, they provide new objectives for Prevention and possible treatment of the disease“, says researcher Monica Polo
The study not only provides new data on how a high-fat diet affects brain health, but also opens the door to future research on… Nutritional strategies as a possible means of treating Alzheimer's disease.
Confirm the results The importance of a balanced diet To prevent neurodegenerative diseases and highlight the potential of microRNAs as targets for therapeutic interventions.
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