Obesity, an epidemic in the United States associated with an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases, leads to cognitive impairment. Currently 92 million children and adults are obese due to a poor diet accompanied by elevated levels of hormone insulin. The consumption of a diet high in saturated fatty acids is one of the major factors contributing to obesity. The impact of saturated fatty acids on cognitive impairment is not known. To investigate the long-term impact of a high saturated fat diet (HSFD) on memory, C57BL6 mice were placed into one of three groups based on the diet: a standard diet (control), a HSFD, or a HSFD for 16 weeks and then the standard diet for the remainder of the study (HSF<sub>16</sub>). Brain insulin signaling and memory were evaluated in these 3 groups of mice. HSFD-induced obesity occurred concurrently with a decrease in insulin signaling and insulin receptor expression and deficits in both short- and long-term memory. Our results demonstrate that memory deficits due to the increased consumption of saturated fatty acids at an early age are reversible; however, the HSFD-induced reduction in the levels of insulin receptors is not reversible, which may be the connection between obesity and the increased risk for neurodegenerative diseases.

Weight of fatty acids: An examination of a high-fat diet and cognition

253rd National Meeting (2017)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.