It's common knowledge that too much fat and sugar are unhealthy and can lead to increased weight gain, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. However, researchers have reason to believe that extreme fat and sugar consumption can now lead to cognitive decline in mental health.
According to researchers from Oregon State University, fat and sugar are actually causing bacterial changes in the body that can be linked to cognitive function loss.
Researchers from the Oregon State University apparently discovered evidence that a high fat and high sugar diet can cause changes in gut bacteria compared to a regular diet where they seem to cause alterations and a significant loss in "cognitive flexibility" or the ability to adapt and adjust oneself to new situations.
This new study also revealed that the effect of lost cognition was most prevalent in a high sugar diet where this resulted in early learning disabilities that are also connected to long term and short term memory.
During lab experiments, researchers fed mice with different diets and were given a battery of various tests. Tests that involved a water maze were conducted on the creatures to test their mental and physical capabilities including the different impacts of bacteria were analyzed.
According to lead author of the study Kathy Magnusson from the OSU College of Veterinary Medicine and the Linus Pauling Institute, there is significant evidence that bacteria or microbiota can communicate with the human brain.
She adds that these compounds released by the bacteria can act as neurotransmitters and provide stimulation for sensory nerves or the immune system that can ultimately affect their biological functions.
After four weeks of the mice on high fat and high sugar diets, researchers have observed that the performance of the mice during several tests of mental and physical functions started to decrease significantly compared to others who are on a regular diet.
The most significant change were manifested in cognitive flexibility where the mice became impaired when it comes to adjusting to new tests especially those with the most high fat and high sugar content in their diet.
This study is published in the journal Neuroscience.