Different intermittent fasting regimens decrease anxious and depressive-like behaviour, but show damage to brain tissues in healthy Wistar rats.

Background: Different intermittent fasting (IF) regimens have been used in healthy individuals to improve body composition; however, other potential benefits or harm, such as modulation of behaviours, are little studied in healthy populations. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of different IF regimens on parameters related to the behavioural and cerebral aspects in healthy rats and compare them to caloric restriction.

Methods: Adult Wistar rats were randomised into five groups: control (CON); caloric restriction (CR); time-restricted feeding (TRF); alternate-day fasting (ADF); and alternate-day modified fasting (ADMF), and then evaluated during four weeks.

Results: The ADF and ADMF groups had the lowest weight over the weeks and decreased depressive-like behaviour, while TRF decreased anxiety-like behaviour. However, all experimental groups presented some damage in the brain tissues (central cortex and hippocampus), and ADF had the largest area of ⁣⁣NF-κB marking.

Conclusion: Although all groups submitted to IF showed benefits in behaviour, they also presented damage to brain tissues (gemistocystic astrocytes, and ischemic neuronal cell bodies).