Mental Health Disorders: Too Much Sugar Affects the Brain - Memory, Dementia & Depression

• comments
• 
• 

Carbohydrates undoubtedly provide energy for our bodily functions but if sugar intake exceeds moderate amounts, it not only challenges one's waistline but heart and brain health as well.

Excessive sugar consumption might cause dementia and depression as well as interrupt memory functions leading to diseases like Alzheimer's, according to Huffington Post.

Sugar and Memory

A research conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2012 revealed that rats which fed on sugar were observed to have developed insulin resistance. The effect is said to have impacted memory by slowing down the brain. That is, brain blood sugar levels of the rats were not only increased, but the synaptic connection between brain cells were also disturbed, leading to impairment in cognitive functions like memory.

Dr. Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, lead author of the study, stated, "Insulin is important in the body for controlling blood sugar, but it may play a different role in the brain. Our study shows that a high-fructose diet harms the brain as well as the body. This is something new," quoted Huffington Post.

Sugar and Depression

According to another research by Dr. Datis Kharrazian, a mood-boosting neurotransmitter called serotonin is released when sugar is consumed and if the neurotransmitter is stimulated frequently, it would be depleted. Depleted serotonin levels could contribute to depression symptoms.

The same study reveals that an increase in blood sugar levels also cause inflammation in the brain, which is another possible cause of depression.

Sugar and Food Cravings

Other than insulin, another hormone called dopamine plays an important role in sugar consumption. The taste receptors of the tongue react to sugar by signalling the brain to activate the reward pathways and release feel-good hormones like dopamine.

Though such stimulation gives pleasure, it is not advisable to stimulate the reward pathways very often, reports Huffington Post. Overstimulation reportedly leads to "loss of control, craving, and increased tolerance to sugar," the report quotes neuroscientist Nicole Avena.     

Sugar and Dementia 

Another study in 2013 suggests that the causes of diabetes like high blood sugar and insulin resistance could also be imposing increased risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's, also known as senile dementia.

Endocrinologist Dr. Medha Munshi says, "(The study) offers more evidence that the brain is a target organ for damage by high blood sugar," according to The New York Times.