In times of exams Or in times of stress it is common to resort to calm anxiety with fried potatoes, milk chocolate or chucheías, however, an investigation by the University of Sydney has found a direct relationship between high diets in fats and sugars with the Deterioration of brain function. This study adds to the growing evidence that indicates that this type of food, in addition to affecting physical health, also harms cognitive performance.
The study, published in the International Obesity Magazineis the first to analyze in humans how Diets rich in saturated fats y Refined sugars They influence first -person space navigation, a hippocampus -related skill, key cerebral region for memory and orientation.
The work, led by the Dr. Dominic Tranof the Faculty of Psychology, he found that this type of diet negatively affects certain cognitive functionsespecially those linked to hippocampuswithout compromising other areas of the brain.
“The good news is that we believe that these effects can be easily reversed,” said Dr. Tran. “With changes in food, it is possible to improve the health of the hippocampus and, consequently, our ability to guide us, such as exploring a new city or learning a new way home.”
For the study, 55 students were recruited University between 18 and 38 years. Each responded to questionnaires about their consumption of sugary and fatty foods, in addition to undergoing test memory tests and evaluation of the body mass index (BMI).
The experiment consisted of traveling a virtual reality maze to find a treasure chest in six attempts, using constant visual references to remember the way. If they failed to find it in four minutes, they were teleported to the chest, where they could observe their location for 10 seconds.
In a seventh test, the chest was withdrawn and the participants were asked to remember and indicate their previous location only using their memory. Those who consumed less fat and sugars did it more accurately than those with a richest diet in these components.
“Once variables such as BMI and working memory, the consumption of sugars and fats remained a reliable predictor of performance in that last test,” said Dr. Tran.
The researcher highlighted the importance of a good diet to preserve brain health
«We already knew that excess sugar and fat is associated with diseases such as obesity, cardiovascular problems and certain types of cancer. It is also proven that these habits accelerate cognitive deterioration with age ».
“This study provides evidence that diet influences brain health even in young adults, a stage in which cognitive abilities are usually at its highest point,” he added.
