Study Finds
In a nutshell
- High-salt diets triggered depression-like behaviors in mice by activating specific immune cells that produce the inflammatory molecule IL-17A.
- When researchers removed these immune cells or used mice genetically unable to produce IL-17A, the depression-like behaviors didn’t occur despite high salt consumption.
- While promising, this mouse study used extremely high salt levels, and more research is needed before applying these findings to human depression treatment.
NANJING, China — Too much salt has long been blamed for heart problems, but new research suggests it might harm our minds too. Scientists from Nanjing Medical University have discovered a surprising connection between high-salt diets and depression-like behaviors in mice, potentially explaining why depression rates continue rising alongside our consumption of processed foods.
The research team found that excessive salt intake triggers specific immune responses in the brain that can lead to behaviors resembling depression. Their findings, published in The Journal of Immunology, offer a biological explanation for previously observed connections between processed food consumption and mood disorders.
Depression affects millions worldwide, with lifetime prevalence reaching 15-18% in many populations. Modern Western diets, especially fast food, contain dramatically more sodium than home-cooked meals—sometimes exceeding homemade options by 100-fold.
The Salt-Depression Connection
In the study, mice fed high-salt diets showed behaviors remarkably similar to those experiencing chronic stress. They explored less, displayed heightened anxiety, and spent more time motionless during tests measuring “behavioral despair”—patterns that parallel human depression symptoms…
READ FULL ARTICLE HERE… (studyfinds.org)
Home | Caravan to Midnight (zutalk.com)
