A diet that is too fatty has been widely associated with weight gain and cardiovascular problems. A study from the University of Louisiana (USA) shows that a diet high in fat could also cause behavioral changes and depressions. A phenomenon linked, according to the researchers, to the effect of fat on the intestinal flora.
A mouse experiment
These works, published in the journal Biological Psychiatry, were conducted in mice. Non-obese adult rodents fed a normal diet received a microbiota transplant (intestinal flora) of mice fed a high-fat or normal diet.
The behavior of the mice was then observed. Those who received the flora of mice submitted to the very fatty diet showed, in addition to signs of intestinal inflammation, numerous behavioral disorders such asanxietymemory problems and repetitive behaviors.
Fatty foods are bad for the brain
Conclusion: A diet high in fat is detrimental to brain health. Changes in gut bacterial flora are sufficient to alter brain function, even in the absence of obesity.
Results that confirm older studies who have demonstrated, in animals, that certain bacterial strains increase anxiety behavior. This Louisiana study could lead to a potential use of the gut microbiome in the treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders.
Read also :
– In 2030, half of the population will be obese
– Excess junk food remains etched in our DNA
