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How intermittent fasting may shield the brain from chronic stress
Medical Xpress • • health
Key Points:
- Researchers from Chiba University and Zhengzhou University found that intermittent fasting (IF) reversed stress-induced myelin damage and reduced depression-like behaviors in mice exposed to chronic stress.
- The study showed that mice on an IF regimen exhibited higher energy levels, greater pleasure in feeding, and fewer depression-like symptoms compared to those with unrestricted food access during prolonged stress.
- IF reshaped the gut microbiome by increasing beneficial bacteria linked to myelin protection and behavioral improvement, suggesting a gut-brain connection in mitigating stress effects.
- While promising, these findings are preliminary and conducted in mice; further research is needed to confirm IF's benefits on stress-related neurobiological dysfunction in humans.
- If validated in human studies, IF could become a non-pharmacological strategy to help prevent or delay depression and other psychiatric disorders associated with chronic stress.
