Study finds most neurodegeneration in the hippocampus of overweight, middle-aged mice – ScienceDaily



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A new study suggests that when a diet high in fats and sugars that causes obesity accompanies normal aging, it can contribute to the development of disease. # 39; Alzheimer's. In addition, researchers have found that some regions of the brain react differently to the risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease. The study is published in Physiological Reports .

Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia, is a progressive brain disorder that results in a loss of cognitive and memory capabilities and causes significant behavioral changes. Aging is an important risk factor for Alzheimer's disease. Previous studies suggest that diet-related obesity is also associated with the development of the disease.

Researchers at Brock University in Ontario, Canada, have studied the effects of a diet inducing obesity on insulin signaling. use sugar) and markers of inflammation and cellular stress. These factors have been found to be involved in the progression of Alzheimer's disease during the aging process in mice. One group of mice received a high fat and high sugar diet ("HFS"), while the control group followed a normal diet. The researchers measured the inflammation and stress levels of animals in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in the brain after 13 weeks on the assigned diets. They compared the brains of older mice to those of a younger set of basic mice. The hippocampus is near the center of the brain and is responsible for long-term memory. The prefrontal cortex, at the front of the brain, monitors complex cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functions.

Compared to the control group, the HFS group had significantly higher markers of inflammation, insulin resistance (impaired insulin signaling) and cellular stress. The hippocampal areas are considered to be involved in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The prefrontal cortex region of the HFS group showed more signs of insulin resistance, but the inflammation and markers of cellular stress did not change. "Region-specific differences between the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus in response to aging with a HFS diet [indicates] that the pathology of the disease is not uniform throughout the brain," the researchers wrote

the test compared to the basic readings. These results support the theory that aging alone plays a role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease, and obesity exacerbates the effects of aging on brain function.

"This study provides new information on the mechanistic link between obesity and transition in adulthood at signaling cascades that may be related to the pathology [Alzheimer’s] later in life," writes L & # 39; 39, research team. "These findings add to our basic understanding of the pathways involved in the early progression of pathogenesis [Alzheimer’s] and demonstrate the negative effects of a HFS diet on prefrontal cortex and prostate regions. Hippocampus. "

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