[Neuroscientist Mark] Mattson has spent decades researching calorie intake and Alzheimer’s disease. In several studies of mice genetically altered to display symptoms of Alzheimer’s he’s found that those fed intermittent fasting diets — where you cycle through short periods of eating and longer periods of fasting — fared better than those who ate whenever they wanted. They had better cognitive function, lived longer and, most importantly, had less plaque build up in their brains.
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Mattson is now wrapping up a study in people at high risk for Alzheimer’s — those between the ages of 55 and 70 and who are obese and insulin resistant. The participants were put on a 5:2 fasting diet, where they eat five days out of the week and fast for two. Their cognitive performance and brain activity were tested both before and after implementing the diet. By triggering that metabolic switch, Mattson will be able to note any improvements in brain health and cognitive function. And while the results have yet to be released, Mattson says that his preliminary work indicates clear benefits for those on the intermittent fasting diet.
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Read full, original post: The Growing Science Behind a Fasting Treatment for Alzheimer’s
