Saturated fatty acid levels increase when forming memories

Researchers from The University of Queensland (UQ) have discovered that saturated fatty acid levels unexpectedly rise in the brain during memory formation, opening a new avenue of investigation into how memories are made.

Dr Tristan Wallis, from UQ’s Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), said the researchers set out to test the most common fatty acids to see how their levels changed as new memories were formed in the brain. Traditionally, he said, polyunsaturated fatty acids were considered important to health and memory, but this study highlighted the unexpected role of saturated fatty acids.

“Unexpectedly, the changes of saturated fat levels in the brain cells were the most marked, especially that of myristic acid, which is found in coconut oil and butter,” Dr Wallis said.

“In the kitchen, saturated fats are those which are solid at room temperature, while unsaturated fats are normally liquid.

“Fatty acids are the building blocks of lipids or fats and are vital for communication between nerve cells, because they help synaptic vesicles — microscopic sacs containing neurotransmitters — to fuse with the cell membrane and pass messages between the cells.

“We have previously shown that when brain cells communicate with each other in a dish, the levels of saturated fatty acids increase.”

The researchers found that fatty acid levels in the rat brain, particularly saturated fatty acids, increase as memories are formed, but when they used a drug to block learning and memory formation in rats, the fatty acid levels did not change.

The highest concentration of saturated fatty acids was found in the amygdala — the part of the brain involved in forming new memories specifically related to fear and strong emotions.

Study contributor and QBI Director Professor Pankaj Sah said the work, published in the journal Nature Communications, has opened a new avenue on how memory is formed.

“This research has huge implications on our understanding of synaptic plasticity — the change that occurs at the junctions between neurons that allow them to communicate, learn and build memories,” Prof Sah said.

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/vege

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