Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 1, 2026

Palatable Western-style Cafeteria Diet as a Reliable Method for Modeling Diet-induced Obesity in Rodents
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Palatable Western-style Cafeteria Diet as a Reliable Method for Modeling Diet-induced Obesity in Rodents

Published on: November 1, 2019

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Effects of Cardamom on Neuroinflammation, Learning and Memory in Mice Fed a Cafeteria Diet

Anfal Al-Dalaeen1, Nour Batarseh1, Sally Atawneh2

  • 1Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan.

Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism
|January 31, 2026
PubMed

Insights

A cafeteria diet harms cognitive function and increases brain inflammation. Supplementing with cardamom reversed these negative effects, improving memory and reducing anxiety in mice.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Nutritional Science
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • A cafeteria diet negatively impacts cognitive performance, potentially by causing brain inflammation.
  • Cardamom, known for its antioxidant properties, may offer neuroprotective benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of a cafeteria diet on neuroinflammation and cognitive function.
  • To determine if cardamom supplementation can reverse diet-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive deficits.

Main Methods:

  • Male C57BL/6 mice were fed a cafeteria diet (CAF) for 10 weeks to induce obesity.
  • Mice were then treated with standard diet (SD), CAF, CAF with cardamom (CAF-CARD), or SD with cardamom (SD-CARD) for 4 weeks.
  • Cognitive functions (learning, memory, anxiety) and hippocampal tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels were assessed.

Main Results:

  • Cafeteria diet increased hippocampal TNF-α levels and impaired learning, memory, and increased anxiety-like behavior.
  • Cardamom supplementation significantly reduced TNF-α levels in CAF-fed mice.
  • Cardamom improved recognition index and spatial memory while reducing anxiety-like behavior in mice on a cafeteria diet.

Conclusions:

  • Cardamom demonstrates beneficial effects in reversing obesity-related cognitive impairments and hippocampal dysfunction.
  • Dietary cardamom may be a potential therapeutic agent for mitigating the adverse cognitive effects of a poor diet.
Abstract

Keywords:
brain functioncardamommemoryneuro‐inflammationobesity

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