Fat-rich mother's diet harms brain of unborn babies
A study team at the Centre for brain research at MedUni Vienna has shown that a high-fat mother's diet induces lifelong modifications in the brain of unborn babies. Maternal organisms produce an excess of endocannabinoids as their uptake of unsaturated fatty acids increases. These endocannabinoids overtax the fetal organism and restrict the development of healthy brain networks. The results are pathologies such as ADHD, schizophrenia or anxiety disorders. It is unlikely that these damages can be reversed by a later change of diet.
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The study, which was recently published in the Top-Journal Molecular Psychiatry, examined in cell and mouse models how high-fat nutrition of the mother affects the brain development of unborn children through the whole pregnancy (polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acids). In a high-fat diet, mother and child develop an excess of endocannabinoids which can be passed on from mothers to the unborn during pregnancy. This overwhelms the corresponding cannabinoid receptors in the unborn brain. The brain cells can no longer be correctly integrated into the brain and fulfil their intended functions. The study also shows that these limitations persist throughout life and can trigger psychiatric disorders.
Endocannabinoids are substances produced by the body itself. They are part of the endocannabinoid system, which acts as a fundamental communication system in the human brain and other organs. Endocannabinoids reduce chemical communication ("neurotransmission") between nerve cells in the adult brain by binding to cannabinoid receptors. In the developing brain, they determine where nerve cells are positioned and how they connect with each other. This means that any substance that affects cannabinoid receptor function also modulates brain development.
"Due to a long-term overdose of endocannabinoids, the cells in the unborn brain enter a blockade mode," explains study leader Tibor Harkany, head of the Department of Molecular Neurobiology at the Centre for Brain Research at MedUni Vienna. "The overactivation of the cannabinoid receptors then also modifies the epigenetic programmes of the cells. Their task is to control gene expression, but if they are damaged, the cells only fulfil their tasks to a limited extent, for example the production of proteins that are required as cell building blocks or signalling molecules for the development of communication pathways with other nerve cells.
The formation of connections between brain cells suffers from this, important cell networks do not come about. The result can be mental illnesses such as ADHD, schizophrenia or anxiety.
Damage not reversible
"These pathological modifications within the epigenetics of nerve cells are not so easy to reverse," explains Harkany. "It doesn't help to eat a healthy, low-fat diet after birth, the damage has already been done." Even though the study is based on animal models, Harkany emphasises that other studies have already shown harmful effects in humans and can therefore provide indications of similar mechanisms of action in humans.
Therapy possible?
"In order to find therapies, we need drugs that directly intervene in the epigenetic regulation of DNA," explains first author Valentina Cinquina. "We have not yet tried out such drugs, but it is an exciting project to work on such interventions that might be able to be used safely and effectively later on. For example, histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACs) are already being used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
Original publication
Life-long epigenetic programming of cortical architecture by maternal 'Western' diet during pregnancy in Molecular Psychiatry. Valentina Cinquina, Daniela Calvigioni, Matthias Farlik, Florian Halbritter, Victoria Gernedl, Sally L. Shirran, Matthew A. Fuszard, Catherine H. Botting, Patrick Poullet, Fabiana Piscitelli, Zoltán Máté, Gábor Szabó, Yuchio Yanagawa, Siegfried Kasper, Vincenzo Di Marzo, Ken Mackie, Chris J. McBain, Christoph Bock, Erik Keimpema, Tibor Harkany
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