Fasting the brain for mental health.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Nutritional Psychiatry
• Immunology

Background:

• Socioeconomic factors like poverty and violence, alongside poor nutrition from high-energy-dense (HED) diets, increase mental disorder vulnerability.
• HED diets and obesity activate brain's innate immune system (microglia), increasing proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6) via TLR4/NF-κB pathways.
• These inflammatory pathways contribute to anxiety, addiction, and depression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of intermittent fasting (IF) in modulating neuroinflammation and its potential impact on mental health.
• To explore IF as a strategy to counteract the detrimental effects of HED diets and associated stress on brain function.

Main Methods:

• Experimental evidence was provided to support the role of IF.
• Mechanisms explored include modulation of ketone bodies, intestinal microbiota, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) production during IF.
• Focus on IF's impact on neuroinflammation markers and pathways.

Main Results:

• Intermittent fasting (IF) demonstrated a role in reducing neuroinflammation.
• IF influences brain function through mechanisms like ketone body production and gut microbiota modulation.
• IF promotes brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), supporting neurogenesis and neuronal plasticity.

Conclusions:

• Intermittent fasting (IF) emerges as a potential therapeutic approach for improving mental health.
• Reducing neuroinflammation via IF offers a valuable strategy to combat mental health disorders linked to diet and stress.
• Further research into IF's mental health benefits is warranted.