Our brain doesn’t just feed off sugars—it also needs fats

Our brain doesn’t only need sugars—it also thrives on fats.

Neurons can revive and energize within 48 hours on a diet of saturated fats, and they aren’t dependent solely on sugars, breakthrough research at the University of Helsinki has discovered.

Even more remarkably, when the brain’s energy demand increases, neurons can produce their own fats by recycling components of their own cells, a process that depends on a protein known as DDHD2.

The researchers fed damaged neurons with fatty acid supplements and found the cells had regained their energy production and normal activity within 48 hours.

The discovery offers hope to sufferers of a rare brain disorder called Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia 54 (HSP54).  In these cases, the DDHD2 protein fails to function properly, and neurons lose their ability to generate fats needed for energy and normal operation, leading to early and progressively worsening communication problems between nerve cells.

The discovery also throws into question the routine practice of offering all over-50s a cholesterol-lowering statin drug that reduces the fats reaching the brain.

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