Los Angeles – Parents are well aware of the harmful effects drugs and alcohol can have on a child’s developing brain. However, new research from the University of Southern California suggests that maybe they should also be concerned about the impact of junk food on memory. A study conducted on rodents found that rats fed a diet high in fat and sugar during adolescence experienced long-term memory impairment that persisted into adulthood.
According to the study authors, the findings indicate that a junk food-filled diet can disrupt a teen’s memory ability for an extended period, mirroring the effects seen in rats. Professor Scott Kanoski from the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences explained that rats raised on a junk food diet exhibited lasting memory impairments that continued into adulthood, even when switched to a healthy diet.
The researchers took into account previous studies linking poor diet to Alzheimer’s disease, which is associated with reduced levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in the brain. Acetylcholine plays a crucial role in memory, learning, attention, arousal, and muscle movement. This led the researchers to investigate the effects of a fatty, sugary diet on acetylcholine levels and memory in adolescent rodents.
In the study, rats on a junk food diet were compared to a control group, with their brain responses to memory-related tasks analyzed. The rats on the unhealthy diet struggled to remember objects they had seen before and their locations, highlighting the impact of diet on memory. The researchers found that acetylcholine signaling, essential for encoding and remembering events, was disrupted in rats fed a fatty, sugary diet.
Professor Kanoski emphasized the importance of adolescence as a critical period for brain development, suggesting that some effects of an unhealthy diet during this time may be less reversible than in adulthood. However, the researchers found some hope for intervention through medication that boosts acetylcholine release in the brain.
The study highlights the potential long-term consequences of a junk food-filled diet on memory function and the importance of healthy eating habits during adolescence. Further research is needed to fully understand how these memory problems can be reversed and the mechanisms underlying the relationship between diet and memory.
The study was published in Brain Behavior and Immunity and offers valuable insights into the impact of diet on memory function, particularly during critical developmental stages like adolescence. Researchers hope that the findings will raise awareness about the importance of a healthy diet for brain health and cognition throughout life.