By Maya Listman


Findings in the journal, eLife, show late night eating impedes on the type of learning and memory controlled by the hippocampal area of the brain. Researchers from the Semel Institute in the David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) conducted a study using mice to test the cognitive effects of eating at times generally reserved for sleep.

The researchers found that when the mice were fed during what would be their normal sleeping hours, some of their behavior was affected. The team tested short and long term memory. Mice that were regularly fed during their sleep-time were significantly less able to recall a new object. Long-term memory was also dramatically impacted during a conditioning experiment. The researchers found that nerve impulses that generally increase in strength when we repeat the same experience were reduced in strength when food was made available to mice during sleep hours.

While eating when we should be sleeping affects many parts of the brain, the master pacemaker of the circadian system (our so-called internal clock) was found to be unaffected. CREB, a protein involved in regulating the circadian clock, is found to decrease memory and play a role in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease when it is less active, which was found to be the case in the mice who ate at the wrong times. "Modern schedules can lead us to eat around the clock so it is important to understand how the timing of food can impact cogitation," says Professor Christopher Colwell from the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA.

Though much of this study may resonate more with you more than your nieces and nephews, they may find this last bit more relatable. The researchers found that eating at inappropriate hours disrupted sleep patterns, which resulted in a loss of a normal night’s sleep. Although the difference in the amount of sleep was unchanged, sleep became fragmented throughout the day and night. The mice caught up on sleep with short naps rather than sleeping through the night. If your nieces and nephews complain about sleep quality, you might want to inquire about their nighttime eating habits. You may have just the cure they need - no more late night snacks.


Photo: CHOReograPH
Published: January 12, 2016