“Gluten causes brain inflammation”: research

(beraking latest news) – In a study conducted on mice, New Zealand researchers found that a diet rich in gluten increased markers of inflammation in the brain. This discovery could have implications for human health. The study revealed that when the mice consumed gluten, inflammation occurred in the hypothalamic region of the brain, which plays a vital role in regulating metabolism. While previous research has demonstrated gluten’s effects on weight gain and inflammation in the digestive system, this is the first study to highlight its impact on the brain. The work, conducted by researchers from the University of Otago is published in the ‘Journal of Neuroendocrinology’. Gluten, found in grains such as wheat, rye and barley, is an important dietary component in most Western countries. For this study, researchers wanted to know whether a standard diet, called a low-fat diet or a high-fat diet, always enriched with 4.5 percent gluten, alters body mass, metabolic markers, and systemic and central inflammation in mice compared to mice fed a low-fat diet that naturally does not contain gluten. The results showed that the level of C-reactive protein (a protein found in blood plasma that increases in response to inflammation) increased in mice fed a low-fat diet enriched with gluten. And that added gluten to both types of diets resulted in a marked increase in the number of inflammatory markers in the hypothalamus. “Mice have very similar circulatory, reproductive, digestive, hormonal and nervous systems to humans. So it’s entirely possible that the same inflammation we found in mice could occur in humans,” said Alex Tups, lead author of the study. . But the researchers specify that this is preliminary work that requires further research to understand the reason for this brain inflammation. “It could be that components resistant to gluten digestion could lead to an immune response, such as in celiac patients, which then manifests itself in the brain.” However, the scientist points out: “We are not saying that gluten is bad for everyone. For tolerant people, eating completely gluten-free can have health implications that may outweigh the potential benefits. We are saying that future studies must demonstrate whether our findings on mice are transferable to humans”. —cronacawebinfo@beraking latest news.com (Web Info)