Home › Research › Inflammation and the immune system
Intermittent Fasting Ameliorates β‐Amyloid Deposition and Cognitive Impairment Accompanied by Decreased Lipid Droplet Aggregation Within Microglia in an Alzheimer's Disease Model
Liangwei Wu, Yang Zhao, Xiaokang Gong, Zheng Liang, Jing Hua Yu, Jiaquan Wang, Yuheng Zhang, Xiaochuan Wang et al.. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 2025-01-22
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
APP/PS1 mice at 6 months were randomly allocated to two dietary groups: one receiving ad libitum (AL) feeding and the other undergoing IF for 1 month. Y maze, Barnes maze, western blotting, and immunofluorescence were employed. Behavioral assessments revealed that the APP/PS1-IF group demonstrated notable improvements in cognitive function compared to the AL group. Further analysis showed that microglia in the APP/PS1-IF mice exhibited enhanced phagocytic activity, characterized by prominent enlargement of soma and reduced complexity of their processes. Importantly, IF significantly decreased the accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs) within microglia. These microglia with less LDs may contribute to enhanced β-amyloid (Aβ) phagocytosis, thereby ameliorating Aβ deposition in the brains of APP/PS1-IF mice. Our findings demonstrate that IF ameliorates amyloid deposition and cognitive deficits in the AD model mice, which is associated with the reduction of LDs within microglia, providing support for the use of the dietary intervention against AD pathology.
Key findings
- APP/PS1 mice at 6 months were randomly allocated to two dietary groups: one receiving ad libitum (AL) feeding and the other undergoing IF for 1 month.
- Y maze, Barnes maze, western blotting, and immunofluorescence were employed.
- Behavioral assessments revealed that the APP/PS1-IF group demonstrated notable improvements in cognitive function compared to the AL group.
- Further analysis showed that microglia in the APP/PS1-IF mice exhibited enhanced phagocytic activity, characterized by prominent enlargement of soma and reduced complexity of their processes.
- Importantly, IF significantly decreased the accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs) within microglia.
Why it matters
In APP/PS1 mice, one month of intermittent fasting improved cognition and reduced amyloid deposition, associated with less lipid droplet accumulation in microglia. This is a mouse study, so it does not prove that intermittent fasting prevents or treats Alzheimer's disease in people.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 38/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported and studied in people because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Molecular Nutrition & Food Research) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Molecular Nutrition & Food Research: journal h-index 190 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 1 / 2 | Randomised (as stated in the record) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 8 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Jian Bao: h-index 14 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Huazhong University of Science and Technology: institution h-index 934 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39840463) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Wu, L., Zhao, Y., Gong, X., Liang, Z., Yu, J. H., Wang, J., et al. (2025). Intermittent Fasting Ameliorates β‐Amyloid Deposition and Cognitive Impairment Accompanied by Decreased Lipid Droplet Aggregation Within Microglia in an Alzheimer's Disease Model. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.202400660
Vancouver
Wu L, Zhao Y, Gong X, Liang Z, Yu JH, Wang J, et al. Intermittent Fasting Ameliorates β‐Amyloid Deposition and Cognitive Impairment Accompanied by Decreased Lipid Droplet Aggregation Within Microglia in an Alzheimer's Disease Model. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. 2025. doi:10.1002/mnfr.202400660. PMID: 39840463.
BibTeX
@article{wu2025-39840463,
author = {Wu, Liangwei and Zhao, Yang and Gong, Xiaokang and Liang, Zheng and Yu, Jing Hua and Wang, Jiaquan and Zhang, Yuheng and Wang, Xiaochuan and others},
title = {{Intermittent Fasting Ameliorates β‐Amyloid Deposition and Cognitive Impairment Accompanied by Decreased Lipid Droplet Aggregation Within Microglia in an Alzheimer's Disease Model}},
journal = {Molecular Nutrition \& Food Research},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/mnfr.202400660},
pmid = {39840463},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.202400660}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.