High-fat diet linked to cognitive decline in animals

Animals fed a high-fat diet develop problems with thinking and changes in brain tissue, a study reported from Madrid on 27 October 2026 finds. The research, led by Gonzalo Herradón and Mª del Pilar Ramos, points to a protein pathway that may help explain the damage. It is published in Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy.

The team studied the animals’ behaviour, brain structure and brain function. They also examined inflammation in nervous tissue associated with obesity. Their findings link cognitive decline to changes in signalling involving a protein called pleiotrophin and its receptor, RPTPB/Z.

Using genetic and drug-based methods, the researchers adjusted activity in that pathway. They say this reduced the inflammation and prevented cognitive decline in the animals. The pathway could become a target for future treatments, but the study does not show whether the approach would work in people.

Topics: Health

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com