Study shows how dietary fats enter the brain and cause depression

May 13, 2019 – 14:37 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Both obesity and depression are important global health problems. Although depression and obesity often come together, the relationship between the two is hard to separate, says Tech Explorist.

Previous studies have shown that depression often appears in overweight or obese people. However, observational studies have not been able to demonstrate whether obesity is causing depression, as many competing factors need to be taken into account.

A new study from the University of Glasgow now demonstrates the links between consuming diets high in saturated fat leading to obesity and developing depression phenotypes. The study suggests that some dietary fats can enter the brain, disrupt specific signaling pathways in the hypothalamus and subsequently induce signs of depression.

Scientists have observed that fatty acids enter the brain through the bloodstream and then accumulate and affect essential cerebral signals related to depression. Mice fed a high-fat diet (composed of 60% saturated and unsaturated fats) have been found to have an influx of dietary fatty acids in the region of the brain's hypothalamus, a region linked to the system. metabolic and known to be related to depression. . These fatty acids could then directly affect the main signaling pathways responsible for the development of depression.

Through this study, scientists could create antidepressants that would be more suitable for overweight and obese people.

Professor George Baillie, lead author of the Glasgow University study, said, "This is the first time that anybody is observing the direct effects of a diet. high in fat on the brain signaling areas related to depression. This research could begin to explain how and why obesity is related to depression and how we can potentially better treat patients with these conditions. "

"We often use fatty foods to comfort us because they taste good, but in the long run, it will probably affect the mood in a negative way. Of course, if you feel bad, then to feel better, you could offer more fat foods, which would consolidate negative feelings. "

"We all know that a reduction in the intake of fatty foods can have many health benefits, but our research suggests that it also promotes a happier disposition. In addition, understanding the types of fats, such as palmitic acid, that can enter the brain and affect key areas as well as signaling will give people more information about how their diet can potentially affect their mental health. "

Scientists suggest that foodborne or genetic-induced obesity in mice results in a depression phenotype and that this phenomenon occurs via disruption of the cAMP / PKA signaling pathway. They also found that eating a high-fat diet resulted in an influx of dietary fatty acids, especially in the hypothalamus.

These fatty acids could then directly modulate the signaling pathway of the PKA responsible for the development of depression. These results suggest that the influx of saturated fatty acids due to the consumption of a high-fat diet can alter the cAMP / PKA signaling process, resulting in the development of a depression phenotype.

The study is published in Translational Psychiatry.