Excessive fat consumption and stress are linked to an increased risk of depression and D’anxiety, according to the results ofa study published in the medical journal Neuropharmacology. Researchers at Yale University (USA) explain why this is happening and suggest a possible solution. Conclusions obtained in the laboratory on rats.
Researchers at Yale University decided to explore whether thefood could influence the behavior of fed rats. They found that a diet high in fat will influence the behavior of rats: after 4 months of this diet, the mTORC pathway involved in both metabolism and synaptic plasticity is disrupted and the rats show signs of depression. and anxiety.
“The effects of a high fat diet are similar to those caused by chronic stress,” said Ronald Duman, professor of psychiatry and neurobiology lead author of the study.
The double effect of ketamine
Yale scientists have also shown that when injected in low doses, ketamine, also known as “Special K”, can quickly and dramatically reduce the symptoms of depression as well as the anxiety generated by high fat diets in rats. “As was shown a few years ago, ketamine also reduces depressive symptoms and suicidal urges within hours in patients who are resistant to conventional antidepressant treatments. In particular, ketamine activates a signaling pathway in certain regions of the brain (mTORC1) that regulates the synthesis of proteins involved in the creation of synaptic connections that can be damaged by stress and depression.“explains Professor Ronald Duman.
If the results of this study are encouraging, Professor Ronald Duman recalls that the effects of ketamine on the metabolism need more research and that it is still necessary to find the appropriate dosage for depression.
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