[Villages PL]

Since the solid (non liquid) portion of the brain is composed largely of fat, would dieters experience brain shrinkage as they lose body fat?

[pooh]

The human brain is mostly water if I remember correctly, with lots and lots of nervous tissue. That sounds funny doesn't it......tissue that could be nervous...ah science humor. There is fatty tissue, too, as well as specialized cells that keep the organ functioning.

There are many reasons that are thought to contribute to brain shrinkage .....normal aging first and foremost.....chronic back pain is thought to bring about brain size reduction, as well as alcohol, Internet addiction, lack of sunlight, sleeplessness, and people not getting enough vitamin B 12.....that might be people who have a vegetable heavy diet and don't get this vitamin in their food or with supplementation.

Is this a trick question?

[graciegirl]

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by pooh

The human brain is mostly water if I remember correctly, with lots and lots of nervous tissue. That sounds funny doesn't it......tissue that could be nervous...ah science humor. There is fatty tissue, too, as well as specialized cells that keep the organ functioning.

There are many reasons that are thought to contribute to brain shrinkage .....normal aging first and foremost.....chronic back pain is thought to bring about brain size reduction, as well as alcohol, Internet addiction, lack of sunlight, sleeplessness, and people not getting enough vitamin B 12.....that might be people who have a vegetable heavy diet and don't get this vitamin in their food or with supplementation.

You remember correctly. The brain is about 78% water, 12% fat, and 8% protein. And it's true that there are other ways of bringing about brain shrinkage. But my question still stands: Would dieters experience brain shrinkage as they lose body fat?

I disregarded water because I was thinking in terms of solids. It seems that fat is the largest solid component. Is that not correct? I'll edit my first post.

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by pooh

Is this a trick question?

No, this is not a trick question; I don't know the answer to it. I just thought of it after reading the Alzheimer's book: ("100 Simple Things You Can Do To Prevent Alzheimer's")

The question just came to me suddenly when I thought about brain fat and body fat. Actually, the brain is part of the body so wouldn't it be logical to assume that as you lose body fat you would also lose brain fat? Many dieters have discovered that when they lose weight, it usually comes off from the top down (i.e., face, chest, waist, butt). And what's at the very top? Your brain.

[Taltarzac725]

Alzheimer's: Diet patterns may keep brain from shrinking

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

Alzheimer's: Diet patterns may keep brain from shrinking

That's good information but the study talks about diets of people who are aging, regarding age-related shrinkage. It doesn't address the issue I raised about weight-loss diets.

[fwpc3]

Fat content in the brain is not storage fat but is in the nervous tissues. Much of the brain fat content is in myelin which acts as an insulator around the nerves.With weight loss through diet fat is lost from storage areas , the various body areas we are all well aware of.

[gomoho]

Originally Posted by fwpc3

Fat content in the brain is not storage fat but is in the nervous tissues. Much of the brain fat content is in myelin which acts as an insulator around the nerves.With weight loss through diet fat is lost from storage areas , the various body areas we are all well aware of.

Thank you - do you happen to be a doctor, lawyer or Indian chief?

[shcisamax]

When you think about how the body is smart in self preservation and survival, it seems to be able to take from the lesser necessary areas. For instance: if you are freezing, you start on the areas furthest from the heart and work inward. If you look at the way people starve, other organs will go first. So by that, i would guess, that the brain is affected less than other areas until the end when you "go to sleep". If that is the case, maybe the brain "fat" is not affected in a diet ..until all fat is gone from every other place.

[Pturner]

I had a brain fart once. Oh, you said fat. NEVERMIND.