Scientists fed rats cola for 2 months, and they became noticeably dumb: researchers ask people to think

In a new study, a team of scientists found that feeding rats soft drinks like Coke and Pepsi did a lot of brain damage, causing memory problems, cognitive impairment and cellular distress. More about the experience told the publication Futurism.

Photo: IStock

Of course, soda is not exactly considered a healthy food. It is full of sweeteners, and numerous studies have confirmed that sugar like that found in soft drinks leads to diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cavities, liver complications, just to name a few.

But consistent long-term consumption of sugary soft drinks may be directly linked to brain health and behavioral problems — and presumably to the inability to navigate the maze, according to a new study.

To study how cola-based sodas, which were chosen for the study because of their prevalence in the diet of many modern humans, might affect the brains of rats, the scientists first divided the rats into three age groups: 2 months, 8 months, and 14 months. Then each of these age groups was divided into subgroups: one drank water, the other cola.

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After 57 days, the scientists put the rodents through some behavioral tests in a maze, and XNUMX days later, the rats were euthanized so that the scientists could then study the differences that had formed in their brains.

On examination, the water-drinking rodents were fine, while the soda-drinking ones were not.

During behavioral tests, the researchers found that most soda drinkers, especially those aged 2 and 8 months, had worse memory and generally lower cognitive function than their peers who drank water. This caused serious difficulties when they tried to get around these labyrinths.

But given what scientists found when they opened the creatures' skulls, this is not so surprising.

A closer look at the brains of rats confirmed that all of the soda-drinking groups had some degree of damage to the frontal cortex, which controls vital mental functions such as attention, memory, and judgment, as well as to the hippocampus, which plays an important role in brain function. memory and learning.

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Neurological damage is never positive. But honestly, not being able to get through the mazes would probably be the least of the rats' problems if they were left alive. In humans, damage to the frontal cortex has been associated with personality changes and excessive impulsivity, while damage to the hippocampus is believed to play a significant role in conditions such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and others.

It is important to remember that this study is based on long-term exposure. If the rat hardly drank Coke, maybe just ordered a glass at dinner from time to time, she would probably be fine. But a rat that drinks Coca-Cola or Pepsi every day is a different story.

It's also important to note that rats are not humans, so the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) can't be asked to update their guidelines just yet. However, given all that people have learned about sugary sodas in recent years, it's not surprising if more warnings on the label will soon appear on cans of cola.

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