Fasting against pain: Scientists have discovered a new connection between the gut and the brain
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- Fasting against pain: Scientists have discovered a new connection between the gut and the brain
Intermittent fasting can not only affect metabolism, but also alter the functioning of the intestines, immune system, and brain. According to scientists, changes in the intestinal microflora helped reduce pain sensitivity, as well as improved memory and reduced anxiety in animals. About what exactly scientists have discovered and why it is still far from applying these results to humans, see the Izvestia article.
How intermittent fasting affected chronic pain
The study, which was reported by Medical Xpress magazine, was conducted by specialists from Zhengzhou University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. The researchers wanted to understand how intermittent fasting affects chronic pain and related memory, attention, and emotional disorders. To do this, they used several models of chronic pain in mice caused by nerve damage and inflammation.
For 38 days, most of the animals followed a regime in which 24 hours of fasting alternated with 24 hours of free food, while the control group had constant access to food. The researchers then assessed the sensitivity of the mice to mechanical and thermal stimuli, checked their memory and behavior, and studied the state of the intestines, the composition of the microflora, metabolites circulating in the blood, and signs of inflammation in the brain.
Intermittent fasting is a dietary regime in which periods of eating alternate with periods of complete or partial abstinence from food. There are several types of it: limiting the time of meals during the day, alternating days of regular meals and fasting, as well as other schemes. In recent years, this approach has been actively studied due to its possible effects on metabolism, the cardiovascular system, and brain function, but its effectiveness and safety continue to be investigated.
After a course of intermittent fasting, the mice became less sensitive to pain, performed better on memory and learning tests, and showed fewer signs of anxious behavior. According to the authors, the results suggest that the positive effect is associated not only with changes in metabolism, but also with more complex processes affecting the connection between the intestine and the brain.
What do the intestines and the brain have in common?
The authors of the study found that intermittent fasting changed the composition of the intestinal microflora of animals. The number of bacteria Alistipes finegoldii has increased especially noticeably. At the same time, the level of hippuric acid in the body increased, a substance that is formed with the participation of intestinal microorganisms, and the functioning of the STING signaling pathway involved in the immune system and the development of inflammation also changed. All these changes were accompanied by a decrease in inflammatory processes in the brain.
To make sure that this particular chain plays a key role, the scientists conducted additional experiments. They separately injected mice with the bacterium Alistipes finegoldii and hippuric acid. In both cases, the animals showed the same positive changes as during intermittent fasting: pain became less pronounced, and memory and behavior improved. This allowed the authors to assume the existence of a previously unknown "intermittent fasting – intestinal microbiota – hippuric acid –STING" axis, through which nutrition can affect the nervous system.
The gut–brain axis is a two-way communication system between the digestive tract and the central nervous system. Neural pathways, the immune system, hormones, and waste products of intestinal bacteria are involved in this communication. In recent years, scientists have increasingly linked the work of this system not only with digestion, but also with memory, emotions, neurodegenerative diseases and chronic pain.
Why does chronic pain affect more than just the body?
Chronic pain is considered to be pain that persists or returns regularly for more than three months. Unlike acute pain, which performs a protective function, it becomes a disease itself and is often accompanied by a whole range of additional symptoms. People with chronic pain often complain of impaired concentration, memory, emotional state, and quality of life. That is why scientists are increasingly trying to find ways to influence not only the pain syndrome itself, but also concomitant cognitive impairments.
The World Health Organization estimates that about one in five adults suffers from chronic pain. It is considered one of the most common causes of disability and can significantly limit a person's daily activities.
The authors of the new work note that the mechanism they discovered may explain why changes in the intestinal microflora affect not only pain perception, but also brain function. However, so far we are talking only about experimental data obtained on animals, so it is premature to transfer these conclusions to humans.
When will the results be able to help people
The researchers emphasize that their work does not prove the ability of intermittent fasting to treat chronic pain in humans. So far, it has only been possible to show the existence of a biological mechanism in an experiment on mice. To confirm it in humans, large clinical trials will be required.
In the future, scientists plan to find out which cells respond to changes in the STING signaling pathway, whether there are differences between males and females, and whether other types of intestinal bacteria and their metabolites can have a similar effect.
Kenji Hashimoto, co-author of the article
Ultimately, we hope to determine whether microbiota-based or metabolite-based interventions can be used to develop safe and effective therapeutic strategies for the treatment of chronic pain and related cognitive and affective comorbidities.
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