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Saturated Fats Can Cuase Alzheimer’s Disease

Researchers from Curtin University of Technology in Perth have been studying about the scientific link between diet and Alzheimer’s disease. Now they have come up with clear explanation to why consumption of high saturated fats is more likely to cause Alzheimer’s disease. Their study is the first one to be published in British Journal of Nutrition, describing the link of saturated fats in diet and Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers found that saturated fats can damage the blood vessel lining of brain, thereby allowing inflow of a protein called amyloid. Professor John Mamo, co-author of the study and national director of the Australian Technology Network’s Centre for Metabolic Fitness said that brain consists of millions of blood vessels having a selective permeable lining to cover them, which gets damaged by high saturated fats. The lining is generally called as blood brain barrier. So when the brain blood vessel lining gets damaged it no longer regulates the flow of proteins in or out.

Amyloid, a protein that is produced in the small intestine is secreted into blood. It deposits in the brain and causes inflammation and nerve cell death. Researches in the past have confirmed that amyloid secretion is stimulated by consumption of high saturated fats. Since the blood brain barrier is damaged the deposition becomes wide spread. During the study, the researchers made tests using mouse models. They fed mice a diet of either saturated, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fats and compared them to mice which were genetically designed to develop Alzheimer’s.

Within two months the mice fed with saturated fats showed changes in blood vessel architecture and more amyloid deposits in brain. But such modifications were absent in case of mice fed with polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats. The brains of saturated fat mice were similar to those of genetically modified Alzheimer diseased mice. The researchers used antibodies with a fluorescent tag to confirm that dietary fats were also inside amyloid deposits.

Based on the research, now the Alzheimer’s drug treatment can take a new dimension to improve nerve cells and repair the damaged vessels. The announcement of this link between saturated fats and Alzheimer’s disease came along the same time when a French study two genes related to Alzheimer namely CLU and PICLAM. CLU produces a protein known as clusterin. It helps to deduce the inflammation caused by amyloid deposits. Whereas, PICLAM plays vital role in inter communication between brain and nerve cells. The study co-author believes that these discoveries will be helpful in better understanding and early detection of Alzheimer disease.