BEIJING, Dec. 18 (Xinhuanet) -- Quitting a diet high in fat and sugar produces changes in the brain similar to withdrawal from addictive drugs in mice, said researchers of the University of Montreal, Canada, as quoted by media reports Tuesday.
Through feeding a group of mice a junk food diet, the researchers found in six weeks without surprise the mice had increased their waist size by 11 percent.
Then they switched the mice to a healthier diet to find them act more anxious and depressed.
They said there are significant changes in mice’s brains. The mice had increased levels of corticosterone, a hormone associated with stress, and high CREB, a protein closely linked to dopamine functioning, a neurotransmitter activated by addictive drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine.
"This explains both the depression and the negative behavior cycle," said researcher Stephanie Fulton.
"The chemicals changed by the diet are associated with depression. A change of diet then causes withdrawal symptoms and a greater sensitivity to stressful situations, launching a vicious cycle of poor eating," added Stephanie Fulton.
