Nutritional Impact on Metabolic Homeostasis and Brain Health

Abstract

Aging in modern societies is often associated with various diseases including metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders. In recent years, researchers have shown that both dysfunctions are related to each other. Although the relationship is not fully understood, recent evidence indicate that metabolic control plays a determinant role in neural defects onset. Indeed, energy balance dysregulation affects neuroenergetics by altering energy supply and thus neuronal activity. Consistently, different diets to help control body weight, blood glucose or insulin sensitivity are also effective in improving neurodegenerative disorders, dampening symptoms, or decreasing the risk of disease onset. Moreover, adapted nutritional recommendations improve learning, memory, and mood in healthy subjects as well. Interestingly, adjusted carbohydrate content of meals is the most efficient for both brain function and metabolic regulation improvement. Notably, documented neurological disorders impacted by specific diets suggest that the processes involved are inflammation, mitochondrial function and redox balance as well as ATP production. Interestingly, processes involving inflammation, mitochondrial function and redox balance as well as ATP production are also described in brain regulation of energy homeostasis. Therefore, it is likely that changes in brain function induced by diets can affect brain control of energy homeostasis and other brain functions such as memory, anxiety, social behavior, or motor skills. Moreover, a defect in energy supply could participate to the development of neurodegenerative disorders. Among the possible processes involved, the role of ketone bodies metabolism, neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity, oxidative stress and inflammation or epigenetic regulations as well as gut-brain axis and SCFA have been proposed in the literature. Therefore, the goal of this review is to provide hints about how nutritional studies could help to better understand the tight relationship between metabolic balance, brain activity and aging. Altogether, diets that help maintaining a metabolic balance could be key to both maintain energy homeostasis and prevent neurological disorders, thus contributing to promote healthy aging.

Ketone Body β-Hydroxy-Butyrate Sustains Progressive Motility in Capacitated Human Spermatozoa: A Possible Role in Natural Fertility

“…In addition, another major feature of ketone bodies is that of glucose sparing together with proteolysis prevention [ 27 , 28 ]. This is of particular importance in extra-hepatic tissues, such as the heart, kidney, and skeletal muscle, characterized by a wide range of energy metabolites usage and expressing the key enzyme involved in ketolysis, namely succinyl-CoA transferase, which allows the incorporation of ketone bodies into tricarboxylic acid cycle [ 29 , 30 , 31 ]. On these bases, there are no evolutionary elements that argue in favor of a negative influence of ketosis on the reproductive outcome.…”

The role of ApoE-mediated microglial lipid metabolism in brain aging and disease

“…Brain energy metabolism is tightly controlled to support the highly metabolic demands of neuronal activity and maintain proper function [13] . Many neurological disorders are often associated with the dysregulation of brain energy metabolism [14,15] . As microglia constantly scan the brain microenvironment during surveillance, it is speculated that microglia require high-energy demand and metabolic flexibility to make adaptive changes dynamically.…”

Metabolic correction of neurodegenerative pathologies: the role of macronutrients and timing

“…To tackle this problem, various nutrition interventions have been suggested including dietary supplements and dietary restrictions. Former regiments supposed the intake of specific nutrients, while the latter restricted particular nutrient(s) (e.g., carbohydrates) or time-restricted eating patterns, which can result in marked long-term changes in brain metabolism and functions such as neurogenesis and synaptic plasticity, oxidative stress and inflammation or epigenetic regulations as well as gut microbiota changes [9,[88][89][90][91][92][93].…”