Translational Psychiatry: Intermittent Fasting Helps the Brain Resist Stress

Chronic stress has long been recognized as one of the major risk factors for depression, anxiety disorders, and other mental health conditions. Now, researchers have found new evidence suggesting that intermittent fasting may help protect the brain from some of the damaging effects of prolonged stress. The findings were published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

Previous studies have shown that chronic stress can damage myelin, the fatty sheath that surrounds nerve fibers and enables rapid and efficient communication between brain cells.

Disruption of myelin integrity has been linked to impaired nervous system function and an increased risk of psychiatric disorders.

A team of researchers from the Center for Forensic Psychiatry at Chiba University and the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University set out to investigate whether intermittent fasting could reduce these harmful effects.

To do so, the scientists exposed adult mice to prolonged psychological stress and then divided them into two groups. One group had unrestricted access to food, while the other was fed only during specific time windows in accordance with an intermittent-fasting regimen.

The results were striking. Mice that followed the intermittent-fasting schedule displayed fewer signs of depression-like behavior.

They were more active, showed greater interest in sweet foods—a commonly used indicator of preserved reward sensitivity—and appeared more resilient to stress.

The researchers also closely examined myelin integrity in several brain regions.

Their analysis revealed that chronic stress caused significant myelin damage in the corpus callosum, medial prefrontal cortex, and hippocampus of mice with unrestricted food access. These brain regions are involved in emotion regulation, memory, and decision-making. In contrast, mice practicing intermittent fasting showed substantially less damage in these areas.

To better understand the mechanism behind this effect, the scientists analyzed the animals’ gut microbiome. They found that intermittent fasting significantly altered the composition of intestinal bacteria.

Certain microbial species—particularly Prevotellamassilia timonensis and Muricoprocola aceti—were associated with better preservation of myelin and more favorable behavioral outcomes. In contrast, Anaeroplasma abactoclasticum showed the opposite association.

The authors suggest that fasting-induced changes in the gut microbiota may trigger biological processes that help protect or repair the myelin sheath surrounding nerve cells. These findings indicate that the gut may play a much larger role in the brain’s resilience to stress than previously believed.

The researchers note, however, that the study was conducted in mice, and further research will be needed to determine whether similar protective effects occur in humans.