Fast Food: A Potential Risk Factor for Alzheimer's

A recent study in Sweden has shown that diets high in fat, sugar, and cholesterol can possibly lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. The study was performed on mice that were genetically modified to mimic a gene common in Alzheimer’s patients, apolipoprotein E, also known as apoE4. ApoE4 controls the transport of cholesterol.
During the study conducted by Susanne Akterin, the genetically altered mice were fed diets that mimic the nutritional content of fast food, that is diets rich in sugar, fat, and cholesterol. After nine months, their brains were examined and revealed that they were had an increase in the phosphate groups attached to a substance that forms the characteristic neurofibril tangles in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. The tangles inhibit normal cell functions, ultimately leading to their death. High cholesterol diets also were found to reduce the levels of Arc, a protein involved in memory storage.
This study ultimately confirms that a combination of diet and genetic factors lead to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. I found this article interesting because as college students, we tend to eat diets high in sugars and fats. Depending on our genetic make-up, our diets now could potentially lead to the development of this disease later in our lives.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081128082937.htm