Diet has great benefit for many people. It can help in controlling lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and heart diseases. Now another benefit might be added to it, as a low-carb diet is useful in boosting intelligence.
Low-carb diet has been popular among those who want to lose weight. This might become even more popular if a study on mice is any indication. In particular, a low-carb diet might help those who are suffering from what is known as Kabuki syndrome.
Kabuki syndrome is when a genetic mutation causes errors. This affects chemical tags on DNA. This also affects DNA in making protein. In mice this can lead to a treatable condition where there is a decrease in cell growth in the memory part of the brain. The study also shows that some inherited brain disorders could be reversed.
DNA wraps around specialized protein called histone. Once DNA has wrapped around it, it can then form a chain within a cell. This wrapped-up protein is called a chromatin. However, in order to make new protein the chromatin must open up. For those with Kabuki syndrome, chromatin does not open up at once to make new protein.
The study on low-carb diet is led by Dr. Hans Bjornsson, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor at John Hopkins University School of Medicine's McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetics Medicine. Bjornsson has long been focusing on Kabuki syndrome, according to Science Daily. For the study, the mice are put on a two-week low-carb diet. Low-carb diet has been known to have an impact on brain activity.
The study has compared mice on the low-carb diet with those who have a normal diet. There are also mice injected with beta hydroxybutyrate (BHB), a compound that can open chromatin. Mice on the low-carb diet and those with BHB began to grow new brain cells, as News Wise reports. The brain cells grew in the dentate gyrus area, which is where new memories are formed. The treated mice also performed better in the Morris water maze.
While the study has worked on mice, Bjornsson said that this has not been done on people yet. Results can be good for mice but might not be the same with people. Still, low-carb diet can be useful in boosting intelligence. Another study shows that nutrition can help in brain health.
