Zhao · Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 2025 · controlled animal experiment · n=?

Fructo-Oligosaccharides Restore High-Fat Diet-Disrupted Diurnal Fluctuations in Cognitive Function in Mice via the Gut-Brain Axis.

Cited 2 times in the scientific literature.

Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data

Preclinical animal study with no human data

PubMed 41201833 · doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.5c10321 · record verified 2026-08-30

What was done

Prebiotic fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) were administered to high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice to assess their effects on circadian-related cognitive dysfunction. The researchers evaluated cognitive performance across the diurnal cycle using Barnes maze and novel object recognition tests, and measured hippocampal diurnal rhythms of neuroplasticity genes (Bdnf, Psd95, Ngf) and neuroinflammatory markers (TNFα, IL-6, IL-1β). They also assessed gut microbiota diurnal dynamics, intestinal barrier integrity (Occludin expression), and microbial short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).

What was found

The abstract reports no numerical values, sample sizes, or statistical metrics. It describes qualitatively that FOS supplementation ameliorated diurnal cognitive deficits, restored hippocampal diurnal oscillations of neuroplasticity and inflammatory genes, enhanced diurnal Occludin expression, and normalized diurnal patterns of gut microbiota and SCFA production in HFD-induced obese mice.

Why it matters

The study suggests a microbiota-targeted prebiotic approach that could mitigate high-fat diet-induced disruptions in diurnal cognitive and neurobiological rhythms via the gut-brain axis.

Limits

This is an animal study in mice, limiting direct translation to humans. The abstract does not provide sample sizes, dosages, intervention duration, or any quantitative data.

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