Decoded: How diet high in fat causes depression

LONDON: Dietary fats can enter the brain through the bloodstream, and cause alterations that could lead to depression, according to a study that may pave the way for new therapies to treat the disorder.

The team also found that by decreasing the expression of a specific enzyme called phosphodiesterase, symptoms of obesity-linked depression can be reduced.

The team from University of Glasgow in the UK conducted a study in mice to show how dietary habits are linked to mental health.

The study, published in ‘Translational Psychiatry’, shows that saturated fatty acids enter the brain through the bloodstream, and thereafter accumulate and affect crucial brain signals related to depression.

“We often use fatty food to comfort ourselves, however in the long term, this is likely to affect one’s mood in a negative way,” said George Baillie, from University of Glasgow. “If you’re feeling low, you might treat yourself to more fatty foods, which then would consolidate negative feelings”.