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Intermittent fasting reprograms the brain proteome to prevent synaptic degeneration and cognitive impairment in vascular dementia
Nishat I Tabassum, Sharmelee Selvaraji, Yibo Fan, Vernise J.T. Lim, Xiangru Cheng, Xiangyuan Peng, Aayushi Arora, Vismitha Rajeev et al.. Theranostics, 2025-07-25
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
These findings establish IF as a potent modulator of synaptic resilience in VaD, acting through coordinated preservation of synaptic structure, inhibition of inflammatory synapse loss, and metabolic reprogramming. Our results highlight IF's potential as a non-pharmacological strategy to combat vascular cognitive impairment by targeting the synaptic vulnerability underlying dementia progression.
Key findings
- These findings establish IF as a potent modulator of synaptic resilience in VaD, acting through coordinated preservation of synaptic structure, inhibition of inflammatory synapse loss, and metabolic reprogramming.
- Our results highlight IF's potential as a non-pharmacological strategy to combat vascular cognitive impairment by targeting the synaptic vulnerability underlying dementia progression.
Why it matters
This study reports that intermittent fasting preserved synaptic structure, reduced inflammatory synapse loss and reprogrammed metabolism in a vascular dementia model, suggesting it as a possible non-pharmacological strategy. The findings come from a model rather than patient trials, so no treatment, cure or prevention in people is established.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Theranostics) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Theranostics: journal h-index 228 (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 | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 2 / 7 | Cited 9 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.0 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.9× 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 9 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Thiruma Valavan Arumugam: h-index 75 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology: institution h-index 2,557 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 8 institution(s) in 5 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40860138) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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
Tabassum, N. I., Selvaraji, S., Fan, Y., Lim, V. J., Cheng, X., Peng, X., et al. (2025). Intermittent fasting reprograms the brain proteome to prevent synaptic degeneration and cognitive impairment in vascular dementia. Theranostics. https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.119422
Vancouver
Tabassum NI, Selvaraji S, Fan Y, Lim VJ, Cheng X, Peng X, et al. Intermittent fasting reprograms the brain proteome to prevent synaptic degeneration and cognitive impairment in vascular dementia. Theranostics. 2025. doi:10.7150/thno.119422. PMID: 40860138.
BibTeX
@article{tabassum2025-40860138,
author = {Tabassum, Nishat I and Selvaraji, Sharmelee and Fan, Yibo and Lim, Vernise J.T. and Cheng, Xiangru and Peng, Xiangyuan and Arora, Aayushi and Rajeev, Vismitha and others},
title = {{Intermittent fasting reprograms the brain proteome to prevent synaptic degeneration and cognitive impairment in vascular dementia}},
journal = {Theranostics},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.7150/thno.119422},
pmid = {40860138},
url = {https://doi.org/10.7150/thno.119422}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
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