Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Effect of High-Fat Diet on Synaptic Plasticity and Mitochondrial Functions

• Main Authors: Eduardo Penna, Amelia Pizzella, Fabiano Cimmino, Giovanna Trinchese, Gina Cavaliere, Angela Catapano, Ivana Allocca, Jong Tai Chun, Angelo Campanozzi, Giovanni Messina, Francesco Precenzano, Valentina Lanzara, Antonietta Messina, Vincenzo Monda, Marcellino Monda, Carla Perrone-Capano, Maria Pina Mollica, Marianna Crispino
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
• Series: Brain Sciences
• Subjects: neurodevelopmental disorders; high-fat diet; synaptic plasticity; mitochondria; synaptic protein synthesis
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/10/11/805

Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) include diverse neuropathologies characterized by abnormal brain development leading to impaired cognition, communication and social skills. A common feature of NDDs is defective synaptic plasticity, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are only partially known. Several studies have indicated that people’s lifestyles such as diet pattern and physical exercise have significant influence on synaptic plasticity of the brain. Indeed, it has been reported that a high-fat diet (HFD, with 30–50% fat content), which leads to systemic low-grade inflammation, has also a detrimental effect on synaptic efficiency. Interestingly, metabolic alterations associated with obesity in pregnant woman may represent a risk factor for NDDs in the offspring. In this review, we have discussed the potential molecular mechanisms linking the HFD-induced metabolic dysfunctions to altered synaptic plasticity underlying NDDs, with a special emphasis on the roles played by synaptic protein synthesis and mitochondrial functions.