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Fasting Slows Progression of Alzheimer's Disease
Last reviewed: 09.08.2025
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Scientists from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Michigan have demonstrated that periods of fasting—not just calorie restriction itself—underlie many of the neuroprotective effects of a calorie-restricted diet in the 3xTg mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The results are published in Nature Communications.
In classical calorie restriction (CR) protocols, rodents are fed once daily, consume their food rapidly, and then remain in a state of prolonged fasting until the next feeding. The authors divided genetically modified 3xTg mice (carrying three human genes associated with β-amyloid accumulation and tau pathology) and non-transgenic controls into three groups: free access to food (AL), 30% calorie reduction without fasting by diluting the food with cellulose (DL), and classical CR with 30% calorie reduction and a 22-hour fasting interval (CR).
All calorie-restricted groups (DL and CR) showed weight loss and improved glucose tolerance. However, only the CR group, which underwent prolonged fasting, showed:
- significant increase in insulin sensitivity and transition to fat metabolism after meals;
- activation of autophagy and suppression of the mTOR signaling pathway, which is associated with the removal of damaged proteins and organelles;
- significant reduction in Alzheimer's pathological markers, including phosphorylated tau levels and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus and cortex.
Cognitive tests confirmed that only mice in the CR group showed improvements in memory and spatial orientation during the maze task. In contrast, animals in the DL group, despite the reduced diet, did not experience significant changes in behavior, which highlights the critical role of fasting as a signal to trigger neuroprotective mechanisms.
The authors highlight that “when” we eat may be as important as “how much.” Extended fasting intervals activate metabolic and molecular mechanisms — enhanced autophagy, ketogenesis, and improved insulin sensitivity — that work together to protect the brain from neurodegeneration. These findings raise the prospect of using intermittent fasting or fasting-mimicking diets to prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease in humans.