Dr. Hilary Jones, a renowned health expert, has cautioned about the early signs of dementia, emphasizing the detrimental effects of an unhealthy Western diet, particularly when consumed during childhood. Research conducted by scientists in California revealed that a typical Western diet could lead to long-lasting memory problems, especially if consumed from a young age. The study, conducted on rats, found that the brain can be damaged by consuming high-fat, high-sugar junk food. The researchers emphasized that our brains are more vulnerable to the effects of such diets during childhood.
The team investigated the impact of these foods on levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh), which is essential for memory, including learning, arousal, and attention. Low levels of ACh have been linked to the development of Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia in the UK.
As part of the research, juvenile and adolescent rats were fed an assortment of foods, including high-fat, high-sugar foods, crisps, peanut butter cups, and high-fructose corn syrup. However, they were also given water. A control group of rats were fed standard rat food and water. Upon reaching adulthood, the rats underwent memory tests.
The rats were introduced to new locations and new objects. After some days, the rats were reintroduced to these areas, with one new object having been added. While the control group exhibited curiosity regarding that object, the experimental group appeared not to notice anything had changed.
The researchers observed compromised ACh signaling in the experimental groups’ hippocampus, a region closely associated with memory and learning in both rats and humans.
Speaking to Medical News Today, the study’s senior investigator Scott Kanoski – professor of biological sciences at University of Southern California Dornsrife – explained: “The hippocampus is a brain region that is particularly susceptible to various environmental and biological insults. This is particularly true during the juvenile and adolescent periods when this brain region is still developing.
“Our diet model produced acetylcholine disruption in the hippocampus in the rats analogous to disruptions observed in Alzheimer’s disease. However, more work is needed to understand how early life dietary and metabolic factors influence long-term risk for Alzheimer’s and other related dementias.”
Eating an unhealthy Western diet early in life was also shown to alter the gut microbiome, something that plays a key role in our overall health. However, when the rats switched to a healthy diet later on the alterations were “largely reversed”.
According to a previous study, published in The Lancet, around 40 percent of dementia cases are preventable. Experts say taking the following steps could lessen your chances of developing dementia:
* Aim to maintain systolic blood pressure of 130 mm/Hg or less in midlife from around age 40 years
* Encourage use of hearing aids for hearing loss and reduce hearing loss by protecting ears from high noise levels
* Reduce exposure to air pollution and second-hand tobacco smoke
* Prevent head injury (particularly by targeting high risk occupations and transport)
* Prevent alcohol misuse and limit drinking to less than 21 units per week
* Stop smoking
* Lead an active life into mid, and possibly later life
* Reduce obesity and diabetes
By adopting a healthy lifestyle, including regular exercise, a balanced diet, and managing blood pressure and cholesterol levels, individuals can mitigate the risk of dementia or delay its onset.
