A Western diet impairs CNS energy homeostasis and recovery after spinal cord injury: Link to astrocyte metabolism

Neurobiol Dis, 2020 · DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2020.104934 · Published: July 1, 2020

Spinal Cord Injury Endocrinology Neurology

Simple Explanation

A diet high in fat and sucrose, similar to a Western diet, can negatively impact the spinal cord's health and its ability to recover from injury. This diet can cause problems with how the spinal cord uses energy and can damage important cells, such as those that protect nerve fibers. However, a medication called metformin might help to protect the spinal cord from these harmful effects and improve recovery.

Study Duration

12 weeks

Participants

C57BL6J mice

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
A Western diet impairs insulin signaling and energy homeostasis in the spinal cord, even before injury.
2
Mice consuming a Western diet experienced reduced recovery of sensorimotor and bladder function after spinal cord injury.
3
Metformin, an insulin-sensitizing agent, can prevent neural injury caused by a high-fat, high-sucrose environment, both directly and indirectly through astrocyte-related mechanisms.

Research Summary

This study investigates the impact of a Western diet on the adult mouse spinal cord and its response to traumatic injury. Findings show that systemic insulin resistance is reflected in abnormalities in IGF-1 and IGF-1R expression in the spinal cord, even prior to SCI, and that this is accompanied by impaired TCA cycle function. Cell culture approaches suggest that insulin resistance at the level of the CNS has the potential to contribute to neurotoxicity through direct and indirect astrocyte-related mechanisms, and that these effects can be overcome by treatment with metformin.

Practical Implications

Dietary Recommendations

Suggests the importance of dietary management in individuals with SCI to mitigate the negative impacts of a Western diet on neural recovery.

Therapeutic Intervention

Highlights the potential of metformin as a therapeutic strategy to improve neural protection and repair mechanisms in SCI.

Further Research

Calls for further in vivo analysis of the beneficial effects of metformin in the intact and injured CNS, potentially combined with existing neural repair strategies.

Study Limitations

1
The study was conducted on mice, and the results may not directly translate to humans.
2
The specific mechanisms by which HFHS consumption affects different cell types in the spinal cord require further investigation.
3
The study primarily focused on the effects of metformin in vitro, and additional research is needed to confirm its efficacy in vivo.

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