This is a microscopic image of the brain of a mouse, and the red and blue areas are amyloid plaques accumulated in the brain. Alzheimer’s is known to occur when amyloid plaques accumulate in the brain./Provided by the research team
In the morning, my eyes open, and as time passes, my mind becomes clear. At lunchtime, the ‘belly clock’ sounds and the body temperature rises little by little. Humans live according to biological rhythms such as blood pressure, pulse, hormones, and digestion according to 24 hours. However, in Alzheimer’s patients, these biorhythms are broken. It leads to an abnormal life, such as being hungry frequently and not being able to sleep at night. A research team in the U.S. has published a study showing that intermittent fasting, which restricts mealtime every day, can improve Alzheimer’s disease. By controlling the changes in life rhythm that occur in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, it is possible to slow down the progression of the disease and achieve a therapeutic effect.
A research team at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine conducted a study on mice and announced that it is possible to correct life disorders seen in Alzheimer’s disease with intermittent fasting. Mice that restricted their mealtime improved their memory and reduced the accumulation of amyloid protein in their brains. The research results were published in ‘Cell Metabolism’ on the 21st (local time).
Alzheimer’s affects more than 6 million Americans and is considered by many to be one of the biggest health problems. People with Alzheimer’s experience disturbances in their daily rhythms, including changes in sleep cycles and cognitive impairment and confusion in the evening.
To study the effects of daily life changes on Alzheimer’s patients, the research team allowed one group of rats to eat freely, while the other group restricted feeding time. The group was only allowed to feed for 6 hours a day and fasted the rest of the time. The mice used in the experiment all suffered from Alzheimer’s.
The results showed that, compared to the free-fed mice, the mice whose feeding time was restricted had better memories, were less active at night, and slept more regularly. In addition, mice with restricted feeding times performed better on cognitive tests than mice with limited feeding time. Restricting feeding time in mice may help alleviate behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
The research team also found that several genes related to Alzheimer’s disease and neuroinflammation were expressed differently in the mice that were fed a restricted diet. The amount of amyloid protein decreased in the brains of mice that regained their daily rhythm. Alzheimer’s is known to be caused by the accumulation of amyloid protein in the brain.
The research team believes that these therapies can easily advance into clinical trials because Alzheimer’s can be improved with lifestyle changes rather than conventional drug treatments. “Restricting mealtimes is a simple way to dramatically improve the lives of people living with Alzheimer’s and those who care for them because it can be applied right away,” the researchers said.
2023-08-22 01:20:55
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