Scientists from the City University of New York Graduate School (CUNY) found a link between consumption of palm oil products and neuron damage in multiple sclerosis in mice. Research results It was published In Glia magazine.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by widespread damage to the insulating myelin sheath that protects nerve fibers throughout the body.
One of the main symptoms of disease progression is gradually increasing muscle weakness, which does not allow the patient to effectively move independently. Multiple sclerosis also presents with weakness in the legs, impairment of fine motor skills, speech, vision, dizziness and numbness.
To learn how palm oil affects the development of multiple sclerosis, scientists used mice with autoimmune encephalomyelitis (the “analog” of human MS) to study inflammatory demyelination. It turned out that a diet rich in palm oil increased the severity of the disease in mice.
According to scientists, this was because the fat turned into the toxic substance C16-ceramide, which damaged mitochondria and deprived neurons of the energy to fight inflammation.
Researchers managed to prevent neurodegeneration by blocking CerS5 and CerS6 enzymes, which are responsible for ceramide production. Even when fed a diet rich in palmitic acid, the animals’ health improved.
The findings open new opportunities for the development of new treatments that could slow or prevent the development of MS, the researchers said.
Previously found The link between multiple sclerosis and cancer.