Thiruma Arumugam: Intermittent Fasting, Neuroplasticity and Neuroprotection

BRAIN PONDERINGS

In this episode I talk with professor Thiruma Arumugam of Latrobe University about research on the effects of intermittent fasting on brain health and vulnerability to disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. This research was prompted by evidence that daily caloric restriction with time-restricted feeding, and every other day food deprivation can extend lifespan in rats and mice. Subsequent studies showed that intermittent fasting can protect neurons against dysfunction and damage in animal models of epilepsy, stroke, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Clinical trials then demonstrated that intermittent fasting can suppress inflammation and improve glucose regulation. Collectively, this research led to the popularization of intermittent fasting as way of improving general and cognitive health. Professor Arumugam talks about his research on intermittent fasting effects in stroke and vascular dementia models, and his ‘omics’ studies of the effects of intermittent fasting on brain neurochemistry, and the possibility that some beneficial effects of intermittent fasting can be transmitted from parents to offspring via epigenetic mechanisms.

LINKS:

Professor Arumugam’s webpage: https://scholars.latrobe.edu.au/tarumugam

Book: https://www.amazon.com/Intermittent-Fasting-Revolution-Optimizing-Performance/dp/0262046407

Review articles:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6039826/pdf/nihms979409.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5913738/pdf/nihms958771.pdf

Intermittent fasting and brain transcriptomics:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9617005/pdf/11357_2022_Article_537.pdf