Scientists of the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurobiology of the Royal College of London determined that intermittent starvation can improve long-term memory and cause the generation of new neurons in the brain. At the same time, it is more efficient than the daily calorie restrictions. The findings of researchers are based on experiments with a mouse model, but the results of the study can help reduce cognitive violations in the elderly. This is reported in the magazine Molecular Psychiatry.
It is known that the daily restriction of calorie intake and intermittent fasting contribute to the extension of life and improve cognitive abilities, but it is not known how these two approaches on the effects that they have on the body are distinguished. In a new study, scientists checked as intermittent fasting (every other day) affect cognitive abilities and neurogenesis in the hippocampus (responsible for the formation of long-term memory) compared with the calorie restriction (up to 10 percent of daily consumption).
After three months of intermittent starvation in females, long-term memory improved in mice, which was accompanied by an increase in the number of cells in the hippocampus. The central role was played by the Klotho (KL) gene, whose activity, as is known, is related to the extension of life in experimental animals, and its absence accelerates premature aging. The generation of proteins of the Klotho gene decreases with age, which partly explains the reduction of cognitive functions in the elderly.
This is confirmed by the fact that the suppression of ki in the precursor cells of the hippocampus during the experiment leads to a decrease in neurogenesis, whereas the super-expression Ki increases neurogenesis. In general, intermittent starvation exceeds the restriction of calorie intake regarding memory improvement.