A new study from UNC School of Medicine, published in *Neuron*, offers striking evidence of how high-fat junk food can quickly affect brain function and memory.
Researchers discovered that even just a few days on a high-fat diet—similar to typical Western-style junk food—can alter the activity of specific brain cells in the hippocampus, the brain’s center for memory and learning.
Led by Dr. Juan Song and Dr. Taylor Landry, the study focused on a group of neurons called CCK interneurons. These cells became hyperactive after mice were fed a high-fat diet, not due to weight gain or diabetes, but because of the brain’s impaired ability to take up glucose.
This overactivity disrupted the way the hippocampus processed memory, demonstrating how dietary changes can influence brain function almost immediately.
The researchers found that this disruption is linked to a protein called PKM2, which controls energy use in brain cells. When the brain’s glucose uptake is reduced, CCK interneurons become overactive, leading to memory issues.
Importantly, the study also revealed that restoring glucose levels in the brain calmed the neurons and improved memory in the mice. Simple interventions, such as intermittent fasting or dietary modifications, were enough to normalize brain cell function and restore memory performance.
This work underscores how sensitive memory circuits are to diet and how poor eating habits can increase the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s.
It also points to new strategies for prevention: interventions focused on glucose balance in the brain could protect memory and reduce long-term cognitive decline associated with obesity and metabolic disorders.
“This research shows us just how fast the brain can respond to what we eat,” said Dr. Song. “And it highlights how targeted, early interventions—whether through nutrition or medication—can preserve brain function and lower the risk of serious memory problems.”
Ongoing studies aim to explore how these dietary effects may influence the development of Alzheimer’s disease and whether glucose-stabilizing diets can offer long-term cognitive protection in humans.
The study is published in Neuron.
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