From the University of Queensland press release:<\/p>\n
\nSaturated fatty acid levels unexpectedly rise in the brain during memory formation<\/strong>, according to research, opening a new avenue of investigation into how memories are made.<\/p>\n
\nDr Tristan Wallis, from Professor Frederic Meunier’s laboratory at UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), said traditionally, polyunsaturated fatty acids were considered important to health and memory<\/strong>, but this study highlighted the unexpected role of saturated fatty acids.<\/p>\n
“We tested the most common fatty acids to see how their levels changed as new memories were formed in the brain,” Dr Wallis said.<\/p>\n
“Unexpectedly, the changes of saturated fat levels in the brain cells were the most marked, especially that of myristic acid<\/strong>, which is found in coconut oil and butter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
“In the kitchen, saturated fats are those which are solid at room temperature while unsaturated fats are normally liquid.<\/p>\n
“The brain is the fattiest organ in the body, being 60 per cent fat, which provides energy, structure and assists in passing messages between brain cells.<\/p>\n
“Fatty acids are the building blocks of lipids or fats and are vital for communication between nerve cells, because they help synaptic vesicles — microscopic sacs containing neurotransmitters — to fuse with the cell membrane and pass messages between the cells.<\/p>\n
“We have previously shown that when brain cells communicate with each other in a dish, the levels of saturated fatty acids increase<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n
Researchers have found that fatty acid levels in the rat brain, particularly saturated fatty acids, increase as memories are formed, but when they used a drug to block learning and memory formation in rats, the fatty acid levels did not change.<\/p>\n
The highest concentration of saturated fatty acids was found in the amygdala<\/strong> — the part of the brain involved in forming new memories<\/strong> specifically related to fear and strong emotions<\/strong>.<\/p>\n
Study contributor and QBI Director Professor Pankaj Sah said the work opened a new avenue on how memory was formed.<\/p>\n
“This research has huge implications on our understanding of synaptic plasticity — the change that occurs at the junctions between neurons that allow them to communicate, learn and build memories,” Professor Sah said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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