CHRONIC stress-induced depression and brain damage were significantly reduced in mice following intermittent fasting, according to new research that identified the gut microbiota as a potential mediator of these protective effects.
Stress, Depression, and Brain Health
Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders worldwide, and chronic stress is a major contributing factor.
Beyond behavioural symptoms, prolonged stress has also been linked to damage of myelin, the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres that is essential for efficient communication between brain cells.
While intermittent fasting has attracted attention for its metabolic and anti-inflammatory benefits, its impact on stress-related brain changes has remained unclear.
Intermittent Fasting Reduced Depression-Like Behaviours
Researchers investigated whether intermittent fasting could protect against depression-like symptoms and myelin loss in male mice exposed to chronic restraint stress over a 14-day period. Animals were maintained either on a standard unrestricted diet or an intermittent fasting regimen during the study.
Mice exposed to chronic stress developed behavioural changes associated with depression, including reduced interest in rewarding stimuli and increased behavioural despair.
However, these effects were significantly less pronounced in animals following intermittent fasting, suggesting that dietary intervention helped buffer the psychological effects of stress.
Myelin Damage Was Partially Reversed
The team also examined changes in myelin integrity across several brain regions involved in emotional regulation, including the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, and corpus callosum.
Stress-exposed mice showed substantial demyelination in these areas. In contrast, intermittent fasting markedly preserved myelin structure and restored levels of myelin basic protein, a key component of healthy myelin.
These findings suggest that the dietary intervention may help protect the brain from some of the biological consequences of chronic stress.
Gut Microbiota Changes May Explain the Benefits
Analysis of the gut microbiome revealed that intermittent fasting significantly altered microbial diversity and composition. Several bacterial species, including Prevotellamassilia timonensis and Muricoprocola aceti, were associated with improved behavioural outcomes and greater myelin integrity, while Anaeroplasma abactoclasticum was linked to poorer outcomes.
Further analysis suggested that intermittent fasting also normalised stress-related disruptions in microbial metabolic pathways.
Promising Findings, But Human Studies Needed
The authors concluded that intermittent fasting may alleviate stress-induced depression-like behaviours and protect against myelin damage through mechanisms involving the gut microbiota–brain axis.
However, as the study was conducted in mice, further research will be needed to determine whether similar benefits occur in humans and whether dietary interventions could eventually play a role in managing stress-related mental health disorders.
Reference
Ding X et al. Intermittent fasting protects against stress-induced depression and demyelination via the gut microbiota–brain axis. Transl Psychiatry. 2026. 10.1038/s41398-026-04117-z.
Featured image: MIA Studio on Adobe Stock
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