Fasting flags neuro signals
A new review suggests intermittent fasting can unmask early neurodegenerative metabolic signatures and alter high‑sensitivity biomarkers tied to mitochondrial function and neuroinflammation. (mdpi.com)
The review was written by Francesco Cacciabaudo, Luisa Agnello, Caterina M. Gambino, Giulia Accardi, Anna Masucci, Martina Tamburello, Roberta Vassallo and Marcello Ciaccio of the University of Palermo and published in Current Issues in Molecular Biology (Curr. Issues Mol. Biol.), Volume 48, Issue 4, article 358 on 28 March 2026; the manuscript was submitted 17 Feb 2026, revised 23 Mar 2026 and accepted 26 Mar 2026. (mdpi.com) The authors report that, despite mechanistic preclinical data, no controlled human study to date has demonstrated that intermittent fasting directly changes plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 ratios, phosphorylated tau (p‑Tau181 or p‑Tau217) or GFAP, and they note a 7‑day fasting intervention did not alter plasma neurofilament light (NfL) in available trials. (mdpi.com) (cdn.ebiotrade.com) The review enumerates high‑sensitivity, blood‑measurable markers highlighted for early detection and monitoring: neurofilament light chain (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), phosphorylated tau isoforms (p‑Tau181, p‑Tau217), Aβ42/Aβ40, synaptic markers such as SNAP‑25 and neurogranin, and candidate markers YKL‑40, GAP‑43, VILIP‑1 and soluble TREM2 (sTREM2). (cdn.ebiotrade.com) (mdpi.com) Mechanistic pathways the paper links to fasting‑induced signals include β‑hydroxybutyrate (BHB) production, AMPK activation, mTOR inhibition, SIRT3 upregulation, increased BDNF and altered IGF‑1 signaling, with downstream effects on autophagy, mitophagy and mitochondrial quality control identified in preclinical models. (cdn.ebiotrade.com) (mdpi.com) Rather than proposing a single biomarker, the authors advocate multimarker panels integrated with phenotypic and epigenetic signatures and longitudinal multi‑omics profiling to personalise intermittent fasting protocols and sensitively monitor neurometabolic responses over time. (mdpi.com) The paper concludes by calling for longer, well‑powered longitudinal and randomized clinical trials in at‑risk or preclinical cohorts that combine serial ultrasensitive plasma assays with mitochondrial and neuroimmune functional readouts to determine whether sustained or cyclic fasting modifies core neurodegenerative biomarker trajectories. (mdpi.com)
