High-fat diet, healthy bacteria and depressive disorder

A high-fat, "Western-pattern" diet and gut microbes may turn out to be important in major depressive disorder. The project was carried out by Anders Abildgaard, who is defending his dissertation on 22 March 2017.

In a series of animal experiments, it was found that a high-fat diet exacerbated depressive-like behaviour in genetically pre-disposed rats. Furthermore, treatment with a certain blend of eight bacteria (probiotics) possessed anti-depressant-like properties and protected against the detrimental effect of the high-fat diet as regards depressive-like behaviour. In addition, it was found that the mechanisms underlying this intriguing diet-microbe-brain interaction may include the immune system, the regulation of the level of stress hormone and probably also the bacterial production of certain metabolites, which are released into the blood circulation of the host.

Further information
PhD student Anders Abildgaard
email: anders@dadlnet.dk
Phone +45 4046 5770

Time
22 March 2017 13.30

Place
Auditorium (entrance 30)
Aarhus University Hospital Risskov
Skovagervej 2
8240 Risskov