The effect of long-term intermittent fasting on spatial memory in rats

Tashure Lott

In 2022, the National Institute of Health estimated the prevalence of mild cognitive impairment in adults over the age of 60 to be between 7 – and 25%. In the next 50-years, the population of adults over the age of 60 is expected to increase by 21%. Mild cognitive impairment is a condition characterized by progressive loss of one’s cognitive abilities such as memory, learning, or thinking. Many solutions to address this potential healthcare crisis are actively being investigated. Perhaps the most cost-effective option may be as simple as food restriction. It has been found that intermittent fasting may improve cognitive function and helps reduce the risk of developing age-related cognitive impairments. In this experiment, one group of rats was fed normally, and another group was regularly fasted. Both groups were observed while completing a spatial memory task to test their cognitive ability. From the experiment, there was a significant improvement by the fasted rats when comparted to the fed rats. These results support that frequent intermittent fasting may play a role in preventing cognitive declines associated with aging.   

• Tashure Lott is a senior biology major with a minor in psychology. She is a member of the TriBeta National Biological Honor Society. She plans to attend physician assistant school after graduating from Lander.