Have you ever considered skipping meals as a way to boost your memory? It sounds like a strange idea, but recent research on mice has shown that intermittent fasting can actually help with long-term memory retention. It turns out that not only could this eating pattern help you keep your waistline in check, it might also keep your brain sharp as you age.
Scientists at King’s College London have been busy studying the effects of different diets on mice, and what they’ve found is pretty exciting. They discovered that mice who ate on alternate days showed real improvements in memory. But how does skipping the occasional meal lead to better memory?
It’s All About the “Longevity Gene”
The key seems to lie in something called the Klotho gene. Often dubbed the “longevity gene,” this gene plays a big part in creating new neurons in the hippocampus, which is the brain’s memory center. As we get older, the production of these neurons slows down, which is why some older adults experience memory decline.
The study worked with three groups of female mice. One group ate normally, another had fewer calories every day, and the third practiced intermittent fasting with 10% fewer calories. After three months, the fasting mice were the standouts in memory tests. When the researchers looked at their brains, they found that the Klotho gene was more active, and the mice had more new neurons than those on the calorie-restricted diet.
Could Skipping Meals Improve Human Memory?
But what does this mean for us? Dr. Sandrine Thuret, who’s leading the research, has shown in the past that eating less can sharpen human memory too. This new research suggests that intermittent fasting might be a particularly good way to do that. Dr. Gisele Pereira Dias pointed out that the fasting mice ate only 10% fewer calories, yet they saw significant memory improvements. This suggests that even a small change in eating habits could have a big impact on brain health.
The researchers are excited about these findings and hope to test out intermittent fasting on human volunteers next. If the results are similar, it could be a simple and effective way to help our brains stay young.
And don’t worry, this research didn’t just happen by chance. It was supported by some serious funding from organizations dedicated to medical research and brain health. So, while you might not want to jump into fasting just yet, keep an eye out for future studies that could show exactly how skipping a few meals could help keep your memory sharp.
