High Salt Intake: How Does It Affect the Brain?

A new animal study suggests that excessive salt consumption for six months may be linked to impaired memory and increased anxious behaviors.

The research, published in the European Journal of Pharmacology, examined the effect of a high-salt diet on mice. Researchers, led by Dr. Wenting Xu, found that mice consuming a high-salt diet exhibited poorer performance in memory tests and an increase in anxiety-related behaviors.

Furthermore, the study revealed changes in the gut microbiome, signs of inflammation, and damage to the hippocampus, a brain region important for learning and memory. The researchers used six-month-old male mice, dividing them into two groups for 180 days: a high-salt group (8% sodium chloride) and a control group (0.4% sodium chloride).

The results indicated that high salt intake is associated with dysbiosis in the gut, which can affect the brain through inflammatory processes. While the study was conducted on mice and used an extreme high-salt diet, the findings highlight the importance of moderate salt consumption for overall health.

Source: ygeiamou.gr