High-fat Diet May Postpone Brain Aging

In a recent research project led by the Center for Healthy Aging, the University of Copenhagen and the National Institute of Health, mice with DNA defects were studied in order to determine if a high-fat diet can postpone the aging process. Humans with the same defects in their DNA have a disorder called Cockayne syndrome, where they age prematurely as children and typically die between the ages of 10 and 12. Using cells from children with Cockayne syndrome, scientists previously demonstrated that aging is a result of the cell-repair mechanism staying constantly active — eating into the resources and causing cells to age very quickly. During this study, researchers fed mice a diet with a high content of coconut oil, or other fats that offer similar beneficial effects. Because the brain cells were given extra fuel, and more strength to repair damage, results of the study suggest that a high-fat diet can postpone the aging process.  “The study is good news for children with Cockayne syndrome, because we do not currently have an effective treatment,” said the lead author of the study. “A diet high in fat also seems to postpone the aging of the brain. The findings therefore potentially imply that patients with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease in the long term may benefit from the new knowledge.” To read more about this study, click here.