Posted on 09/27/2022 9:50:08 PM PDT by ConservativeMind
Cycles of a diet that mimics fasting appear to reduce signs of Alzheimer's in mice genetically engineered to develop the illness.
The researchers found that mice that had undergone several cycles of the fasting-mimicking diet showed less Alzheimer's pathology. The researchers found lower levels of two major hallmarks of the disease: amyloid beta—the primary driver of plaque buildup in the brain—and hyperphosphorylated tau protein. They also found that brain inflammation lessened and better performance on cognitive tests compared to the mice that were fed a standard diet.
The fasting-mimicking diet (FMD) is high in unsaturated fats and low in overall calories, protein, and carbohydrates and is designed to mimic the effects of a water-only fast while still providing necessary nutrients.
Alongside healthy mice, the team investigated two mouse models of Alzheimer's.
In both models, mice who underwent FMD cycles showed promising reductions in amyloid beta—which form the sticky, disruptive plaques in the brain—and tau pathology compared to mice eating a standard diet. The FMD mice also showed lower levels of brain inflammation, including a reduction in the number of active microglia, the immune cells that seek and destroy pathogens and damaged cells in the brain. The study specifically pointed to the free radical "superoxide" as a central culprit in the damage occurring in these Alzheimer's mouse models, Longo explained.
The Alzheimer's mice given the FMD significantly outperformed the Alzheimer's mice given standard diets and in some instances performed similarly to the non-Alzheimer's-prone control mice, indicating that cognitive decline had been significantly slowed.
Longo and colleagues also included data from a small Phase 1 clinical trial of the fasting-mimicking diet in human patients diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or mild Alzheimer's disease.
Initial data indicates that the FMD is safe and feasible for patients with mild impairment or early Alzheimer's disease.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Maybe if he tries to shake paws with a non-existent mouse?
LOL...I can see that in my mind’s eye. Does he wander off to unknown places, too? Do his handlers shoo him back?
This is great. Thank you.
PING! Thanks!
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